Medicinal Plants And Mushrooms Of Yunnan Province Of China

Although many texts describe plants from China, the focus of this book is to draw on the rich culture and environment of medicinal plants and fungi/mushrooms of Yunnan Province. In fact, Yunnan Province covers two global hotspots of biodiversity, with the richest biological and cultural diversity in China. In particular, the Kunming Institute of Botany (KIB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (founded in 1938 and located in the capital city of Yunnan Province) has made great contributions in the fields of botany and phytochemistry, earning an international reputation. This book covers those medicinal plants and fungi/mushrooms specific to Yunnan Province, and is written mainly by KIB experts in this research field. Key Features: Distinct sections cover the breadth of the topic including resource availability (wildly grown or cultivated), sustainability, and distribution Discusses plant parts used for medicinal uses (the folklore, the ancient and modern uses) Describes the important natural products and the known pharmacologically active components Presents biological activities related to medicinal uses or clinical evidence Cover image: Shilin, the stone forest (eroded vertical pinnacles of limestone), landmark of Kunming, Yunnan.

This book is part of the book series titled Natural Products Chemistry of Global Plants, and examines the rich plant diversity of Turkey, with descriptions of the plants and pharmacognosy properties. There is a focus on the chemistry of natural products and areas rich in folklore and botanical medicinal uses are covered with a particular interest in the region of Anatolia. This book focuses on the chemistry of the natural products, and where possible links these molecules to pharmacological modes of action. Students and professionals interested in the ethnobotany, chemistry, pharmacology and biological activites of species used medicinally in Turkey will benefit from this book. Features Addresses the rich chemistry of the natural products and their respective biosynthetic building blocks Includes the association that many of the extracts have today with important drugs, nutrition products, beverages, perfumes, cosmetics and pigments Describes the key natural products and their extracts, with emphasis on sources, their complex molecules and applications in science Fills a gap in our understanding of medicinal plants, specifically in Turkey Provides an in-depth understanding of medicinal plants from Turkey, and their complex chemistry and structures

This unique volume draws on the rich culture, folklore and environment of medicinal plants in Ecuador, which includes the important rain forest region. This country has rich plant resources and a large diversity of plants. In particular, the Biotechnological Research Center of Ecuador, CIBE, is an important center of plant research and biodiversity. For more than 16 years, CIBE has been performing scientific research on plants and microorganisms with extensive focus on biodiversity, biotechnology, bioproducts, hytopathology, molecular biology, tissue culture and technology transfer. The Center has state-of-the-art infrastructure and technology and a great strength in human resources.

This book provides a description of medicinal plants of Laos, including their role in maintaining healthcare among the population, their potential as a source for new medicinal compounds, their preservation, and their importance for the well-being of the communities for present and future generations. The focus of this book is to draw on the rich culture, folklore, and environment of medicinal plants in the country. This is an opportunity to describe medicinal plants from a scientifically underrepresented area, with the hope of making an important contribution to the knowledge of the region for academics, scientists, and anyone who has interest in Laos. Features Describes terrestrial medicinal plants from a scientifically underrepresented region Includes a wider variety of plants found growing in Laos than has previously been published Discusses past and present research on medicinal plants that may lead to the discovery of new medicines Describes efforts in the preservation of these medicinal plants for present and future generations Focuses on the rich culture, folklore, and environment of medicinal plant in Laos Provides an important contribution to knowledge of the region and will benefit anyone interested in the medicinal plants of Laos

Romanian ethnomedicinal knowledge extends as far back as the 16th century to the Geto-Dacian priests who used medicinal plants and practiced integrated holistic medicine. The ethnomedicine continued in monasteries by monks who used cultivated medicinal plants and wild harvested plants. There are now over 800 species of medicinal plants in Romania. An earlier work last century entitled “Pharmaceutical Botany: the Culture and Harvest of Pharmaceutical Plants” by Grinţescu refers to approximately 500 Romanian healing plants, although most of them are not recognized in modern medicine. There is clear evidence of ethnomedicine in this important region, particularly those that are endangered. Features: • Provides an understanding of indigenous plant-derived natural medicines of Romania • Discusses selected plant families that are representative members of the most important medicinal plants in the region. • Includes discussions and critical views on the potential and challenges for further development of the selected plants in a modern setting • Details the important plants and organizes the chapters based on either taxonomy or medical use • Covers traditional and folk medicine of Romania.

Forms an important part of the series on Natural Products Chemistry of Global Plants, as Cameroon is a country with rich experience in the use of medicinal plants and with a wide diversity of botanical resources Addresses the current development of pharmacognostic research in Cameroon Provides readers with updated information on the chemistry and pharmacology of natural products with pharmaceutical potentials Covers an extensive range of chemical, botanical and pharmacological diversities

There are around 1.5 million fungal species worldwide. Out of these around 14,000 species produce fruiting bodies known as mushrooms, and around 2000 species are edible, and only 270 are reported to be medicinal. The fungal kingdom is phylogenetically closer to humans than plants, so gives better health benefits to human systems. This book educates readers on the nutritional, pharmaceutical and medicinal values of different mushrooms and their utilization as nutraceuticals and functional foods for human security. It reviews the current knowledge on the distribution of edible mushrooms, its general characteristics, morphology, nutritional profile and properties, pharmacological importance, and biological activities. Health benefits of mushrooms, antioxidant and secondary metabolite profiling, major biological activities of mushroom-derived secondary metabolites, functional foods based on the mushrooms open doors for therapies, products with added value, toxicology, and side effects if any are also highlighted. The book is intended for a large and varied audience – researchers, scientists, and scholars in academia, mushroom growers and industries, nutritionists, dietitians, food scientists, clinicians, doctors, drug industries, pharmacy, biotechnologists, biochemists, botanists, mycologists, and general masses.

This book, as part of the “Natural Products Chemistry of Global Plants” series, describes in detail the health-promoting wild edible and medicinal mushrooms specific to the Himalayas region. The focus of the book is to draw on the rich culture, folklore, and environment of the Upper Himalayas, which represents a scientifically significant region. The Himalayas has rich plant resources and a large diversity of plants and mushrooms, which can provide important health benefits as detailed throughout the text. Drawing attention to these mushrooms with detailed scientific descriptions may help in the awareness and in developing sustainable growth of these important resources. Features Provides an opportunity to describe the wild edible and medicinal mushrooms from this scientifically significant region. Represents a wider variety of mushrooms than previously published in other books. Presents more content related to traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, distribution, processing, toxicology, conservation, and future prospective of individual mushrooms. The plants and mushrooms of the region are valuable resources not only to local populations but to those living outside the region. Scientists are monitoring the rich Himalayan plant resources and the consequences of climate change on this precarious ecosystem.