Ethnobotany And Medicinal Plants Of Indian Subcontinent

The book contains 150 papers on Ethnobotany, Medicinal Plants and Economic Plant of Indian Sub-continent.

Contributed articles.

Ethnobotany of India: Volume 4: Western and Central Himalayas is the 4th volume of the 5-volume set, an informative book series on the ethnobotanical aspects of India. The books cover different regions, including Volume 1: Eastern Ghats and Deccan Volume 2: Western Ghats and West Coast of Peninsular India Volume 3: North-East India and Andaman and Nicobar Islands Volume 4: Western and Central Himalayas Volume 5: The Indo-Gangetic Region Each volume looks at the important ethnic plants of the specific region. Volume 4 covers the Western and Central Himalayas, the well-known mountain range on the Indian subcontinent. The unique flora and fauna of the Himalayas are varied, affected by climate, rainfall, altitude, and soils, and are vulnerable to impacts from climate change. The editors espouse that because indigenous non-Western societies form the vast majority of people now as well as in the past, a study of their plant interrelationships is necessary, and India is one of the most important regions of the old world for its ancient and culturally rich and diverse knowledge of ethnobotany. With this in mind, these volumes share a great deal of information that will be valuable to plant botanists and others working in and interested in ethnobotany. This important volume covers the ethnobotanical aspects of many plants of the region. It looks at ethnic diversity of people ethnic food plants and food preparation ethnomedical aspects of plants psychedelic plants and their possible link to soma, a vedic ritual drink whose plant origins are a mystery ethnoveterinary medicinal plants ethno-conservation practices biodiversity heritage sites The volume includes the details of the plants used, their scientific names, the parts used, and how the plants are used, providing the what, how, and why of plant usage. The book is well illustrated with 20 color and 67 b/w illustrations. Together, the five volumes in the Ethnobotany of India series presents the available ethnobotanical knowledge of India in one place. India’s ancient and culturally rich and diverse information and use of ethnobotany will be valuable to those in the fields of botany and plant sciences, pharmacognosy and pharmacology, nutraceuticals, and others. The books also consider the threat to plant biodiversity imposed by environmental degradation, which impacts cultural diversity.

Medicinal plants, Knowledge, traditional knowledge, conservation, Indian subcontinent, management.

Ethnobotany deals with traditional and indigenous associations of people with plants. The subject has been attracting more and more scholars in India and many other countries. It’s importance in search for new molecules from ethnomedicinal herbs and useful genes from wild relatives and land races of crops, still in use among many native folk, for genetic engineering has enhanced the importance of the discipline. The number of books and research papers published each year has been rapidly increasing .Research workers need to know about the work done on their topic of study. Bibliographies reviews greatly help in this and save their valuable time. About 2500 publications are listed in the present book. To facilitate the search of reference on particular region, ethnic groups or use categories indexes are given for providing clues to such search. Research guides can easily spot gaps in ethnobotanical studies in any ethnic society, as also regions of the country. Biographers will find from one source the work done in single or joint authorship by the scientist on whom they are writing. To facilitate this an index by surname of joint authors is also provided. The book will be an essential reference work for research workers.

The present book "Ethnobotany and Medicinal Plants of India and Nepal" is next publication in the series on Indian Medicinal Plants. The contributors of the papers in this book are well known Indian Ethnobotanists who have furnished authenticated data for further scientific and clinical tests. The information about the medicinal plants spread over 325 pages, covers various tribal communities from north to south and east to west and different ailments cured in nature's dispensary. Beautiful phtographs of some medicinal plants have also been provided by some contributors. The information furnished in the book will be useful for controlling biopiracy, backing conservation stretegies and facilitate better understanding of phytotherapy research.

The present volume contains an editorial review article New vistas in Ethnobotany along with 76 other articles written by eminent ethno-botanist working in various scientific research and academic institutions in South Asia. Ethnobotany of tribals/traditional uses of plants in different parts of South Asia and ethnobotanical uses of Herbarium have been dealt with in this work besides many other useful articles. This work provides a glimpse of rich ethnobotanical heritage of South Asia.

Herbal Medicines Are In Great Demand In Both Developed And The Developing Countries In Primary Healthcare Because Of Their Great Efficacy And Little Or No Side Effects. In India, The Indigenous System Of Medicine Namely Ayurvedic, Siddha And Unani Have Been In Existence For Several Centuries. These Traditional System Of Medicine Together With Homoeopathy And Folklore Medicine Continue To Play A Significant Role Largely In The Health Care System Of The Population. The Tribals And Rural Population Of India Are Highly Dependent On Medicinal Plant Therapy For Meeting Their Health Care Needs. This Attracted The Attention Of Several Botanist And Plant Scientists Of Several Medicinal Plants And There Was A Spurt Of Scientific Literature. The Present Book Ethnomedicinal Plants Of India , Contains 21 Articles By Eminent Scholars Of The Country On Different Aspect Of The Subjects. This Book Contains Articles On Ethnomedicinal Plants Of Different States Of India Including Jharkhand, Rajasthan, Manipur, Assam, West Bengal, Tripura, Chhatisgarh, M.P., U.P., Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, North-East India Etc. It Also Covers Information On Ethnomedicinal Plants Used By Bodo, Barpeta And Deuris Tribes Of Assam, Kheria, Sabar, Lodha And Munda Tribal Groups Of W. Bengal And Todas Tribes Of Tamilnadu. Articles On Native Plant Remedies For Snake Bite, Cryptogamic Ethnomedicinal Plants From North-East India And Native Resources Used As Famine Food Provides Additional Information On The Subject. Article On Diversity, Utilization And Conservation Of Medicinal Plants Of Chitrakoot Region, M.P. Have Added To The Value Of The Book. Present Book Provides Excellent Glimpses Of The Rich Herbal Medicine And Traditional Knowledge Heritage Of India. The Present Book Will Serve Not Only As An Excellent Reference Material But Also As A Practical Guide For Herbal Healers, Vaidhyas, Hakims, Research Workers And Students In The Field Of Medicinal Plants.