In Recent Years, There Has Been A Tremendous Growth Of Interest In Plant-Based Drugs, Pharmaceuticals, Perfumery Products, Cosmetics And Aromatic Compounds Used In Food Flavours, Fragrances, And Natural Colours. An Attempt Has Been Made In This Book To Provide All Possible Pooled Information Including The Research Findings That Have Been Generated By The Division Of Horticultural Sciences, The University Of Agricultural Sciences, The Indian Institute Of Horticultural Research, The Central Institute Of Medicinal And Aromatic Crops, The National Botanical Research Institute, The Regional Research Laboratories, Icar, And Others.
Medicinal and aromatic crops (MACs) are high-value crops since the natural products obtained from them are low-volume high-value commodities that have numerous applications in various sectors such as the food, beverage, food supplement, flavor and fragrance, perfumery and cosmetics, pharmaceutical and aromatherapy industries. In addition, the plant biomass is used in the production of teas and medical applications in traditional and also modern medicines. MACs are important mainly because they contain plant secondary metabolites such as essential oils, alkaloids, glygosides, saponins, tannins, vitamins and other bioactives. Plant secondary metabolites are differentiated from plant primary metabolites of photosynthesis and respiration since they are directly involved in growth and development of plants. Some MACs are used as spices and culinary herbs since they contain mainly essential oils, and are used as tonic to the digestive system, appetite modification and other systems and may facilitate nutrient uptake and utilization from various foods. A significant amount of MACs and their natural products have also demonstrated antimicrobial, antifungal and bactericidal activity and significant antioxidant capacity. In the past, MACs and their natural products have been used as a source for various medicines, in food and beverage production and in aroma products. Essentials of Medicinal and Aromatic Crops summarizes the current knowledge on medicinal and aromatic crops, including the agronomical practices of important MACs and their products, their beneficial effects and utilization of MAP and their products. The chapters provide a comprehensive guide to the most important and used medicinal and aromatic crops and their use in functional foods, nutraceuticals and as bioactives against various ailments, providing researchers, teachers, chemists, food scientists, agronomists and agroecologists in academia, industry and government a fully up to date singular source on this important topic.
Medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) have accompanied mankind from its very early beginnings. Their utilization has co-evolved with homo sapiens itself bringing about a profound increase in our scientific knowledge of these species enabling them to be used in many facets of our life (e.g. pharmaceutical products, feed- and food additives, cosmetics, etc.). Remarkably, despite the new renaissance of MAPs usage, ca. 80 % of the world’s population is relying on natural substances of plant origin, with most of these botanicals sourced from the wild state. This first volume and ultimately the series, provides readers with a wealth of information on medicinal and aromatic plants.
"The history of aroma and fragrance dates back through several ages and civilizations. The sagacity of smell plays a remarkable role for human beings to recognize food. Best fruits can be judged when they are ripe and fit for consumption emitting lovely smell or aroma. The same attribute from flowers attracts insects leading to cross-pollination. India has enjoyed a paramount place in the fabrication of quality perfumes and aromatics since the prehistoric era. The celebrated Chinese voyager Fa-Hien described India as the land of aromatic plants. Indian cities like Delhi, Agra, Kannauj, Lucknow, Jaunpur, Ghazipur, Aligarh, Bharatpur, Mysore, and Hyderabad emerged as centers of national and international trade in perfumery and other aromatic compounds, and were known for their quality across Asia, Europe and Africa. Aromatic plants precisely possess odorous volatile substances in root, wood, bark, stem, foliage, flower and fruit. The typical aroma is due to an assortment of composite chemical compounds. At present, information on the chemistry and properties of essential oils of only about 500 aromatic plants species is known in some detail out of a total of about 1500. Of these, about 50 species find use as commercial source of essential oils and aroma chemicals. It is realized now that perfumes are not the essentials of sumptuousness as they were in the past. It has given birth to new streams of medicinal therapy, aromatherapy, involving the use of essential oils and aromatics derived from plants to treat diseases. Essential oils are also reported to be better than antibiotics due to their safety and broad-spectrum activity. Natural essential oils are also potentially safe insecticides. The essential oil obtained from Acorus calamus having ss-asarone as an active principle produces sterility among a variety of insects of either sex. It has, therefore, been found very useful and secure for the storage of food grains. However, there is still very inadequate research for the cultivation of aromatic crops and extraction of essential oils across the globe. This book has been designed to highlight the associated issues of aromatic plants including the aspects of their classification, importance, uses and applications for human wellbeing, botany, agrotechniques, major bioactive constituents, post-harvest extraction, chemistry and biochemistry of aroma compounds along with an informative modern global research on these plants throughout the world. I hope this book will cater the scholastic services, reward diverse professionals and stakeholders, and serve as an informative handbook for theoretical as well as practical purposes"--
Fighting Multidrug Resistance with Herbal Extracts, Essential Oils and their Components offers scientists a single source aimed at fighting specific multidrug-resistant (MDR) microorganisms such as bacteria, protozoans, viruses and fungi using natural products. This essential reference discusses herbal extracts and essential oils used or under investigation to treat MDR infections, as well as those containing antimicrobial activity that could be of potential interest in future studies against MDR microorganisms. The need to combat multidrug-resistant microorganisms is an urgent one and this book provides important coverage of mechanism of action, the advantages and disadvantages of using herbal extracts, essential oils and their components and more to aid researchers in effective antimicrobial drug discovery - Addresses the need to develop safe and effective approaches to coping with resistance to all classes of antimicrobial drugs - Provides readers with current evidence-based content aimed at using herbal extracts and essential oils in antimicrobial drug development - Includes chapters devoted to the activity of herbal products against herpes, AIDS, tuberculosis, drug-resistant cancer cells and more
Essential oils have recently received much attention globally due to the increased use of essential oils as well as the positive impacts from economic backgrounds. New compounds of essential oils have been discovered from medicinal plants and used in anti-disease treatment as well as in most houses as a source of natural flavor. This book covers some interesting research topics for essential oils, including identification of active ingredients from wild and medicinal plants. This book will add significant value for researchers, academics, and students in the field of medicine.
Egyptian hieroglyphs, Chinese scrolls, and Ayurvedic literature record physicians administering aromatic oils to their patients. Today society looks to science to document health choices and the oils do not disappoint. The growing body of evidence of their efficacy for more than just scenting a room underscores the need for production standards, quality control parameters for raw materials and finished products, and well-defined Good Manufacturing Practices. Edited by two renowned experts, the Handbook of Essential Oils covers all aspects of essential oils from chemistry, pharmacology, and biological activity, to production and trade, to uses and regulation. Bringing together significant research and market profiles, this comprehensive handbook provides a much-needed compilation of information related to the development, use, and marketing of essential oils, including their chemistry and biochemistry. A select group of authoritative experts explores the historical, biological, regulatory, and microbial aspects. This reference also covers sources, production, analysis, storage, and transport of oils as well as aromatherapy, pharmacology, toxicology, and metabolism. It includes discussions of biological activity testing, results of antimicrobial and antioxidant tests, and penetration-enhancing activities useful in drug delivery. New information on essential oils may lead to an increased understanding of their multidimensional uses and better, more ecologically friendly production methods. Reflecting the immense developments in scientific knowledge available on essential oils, this book brings multidisciplinary coverage of essential oils into one all-inclusive resource.
A significant gap exists between traditional knowledge and modern scientific understanding of phytochemicals and ethnobotanical wisdom in botanical science. Despite the commonplace culinary use of many herbs and seasonings, their historical, botanical, and medicinal dimensions often remain overlooked. This gap hinders advancements in various disciplines, including chemistry, pharmacology, botany, and agriculture, limiting the potential for innovative research and sustainable solutions. Ethnobotanical Insights into Medicinal Plants bridges this gap by comprehensively examining these plants' morphology, cultivation techniques, and classifications. This book illuminates their untapped potential and catalyzes innovative healthcare, agriculture, and manufacturing research. Integrating ethnobotanical observations with scientific progress enhances the intellectual domain for academics, researchers, and professionals, paving the way for environmentally sustainable methods of producing bioactive substances.
Essentials of Botanical Extraction: Principles and Applications provides a unique, single source of valuable information on the various botanical extraction methods available, from conventional to the use of green and modern extraction technologies including ultrasounds, microwaves, pressurized liquids, and supercritical fluids. Most extracts obtained from botanicals are often poorly characterized with unidentified active or inactive constituents. A wise selection of an extraction strategy is vital to drug discovery from medicinal plants as extraction forms the basic first step in medicinal plant research. This book also explores the mathematical hypotheses and innovations in botanical extractions and analyzes different post extraction operations so that dependency on serendipity is reduced and the same be converted into programmed drug discovery. - Reviews the history and current state of natural product drug discovery and development, highlighting successes and current issues - Explains the application of chemometric tools in extraction process design and method development - Introduces process intensification as applied to the processing of medicinal plant extracts for rapid and cost-effective extraction
