The Medicinal And Poisonous Plants Of Southern And Eastern Africa Being An Account Of Their Medicinal And Other Uses Chemical Composition Pharmacological Effects And Toxicology In Man And Animals

Medicinal Plants - Chemical, Biochemical, and Pharmacological Approaches presents an in-depth exploration of the multifaceted relationships between medicinal plants and human health. This comprehensive volume delves into the intricate chemical and biochemical aspects of plants, shedding light on their pharmacological properties and applications. Within this book, readers will find a detailed examination of plant-derived compounds, including alkaloids, flavonoids, essential oils, terpenes, and other bioactive constituents. These compounds are analyzed for their chemical structures and mechanisms of action, providing a foundational understanding of the chemical basis for their therapeutic potential. The book further elucidates the pharmacological actions of medicinal plants, showcasing their role in traditional healing practices as well as their integration into modern health care. It explores the diverse array of health conditions that can be addressed through phytotherapy, emphasizing evidence-based approaches that bridge the gap between traditional wisdom and contemporary scientific knowledge. Readers will gain insights into the latest research and discoveries in the field of phytochemistry, pharmacology, and ethnobotany, obtaining a comprehensive view of the potential applications of medicinal plants for various health-related purposes. The text also highlights the importance of sustainability and ethical practices in the harvesting and utilization of these botanical resources. Medicinal Plants - Chemical, Biochemical, and Pharmacological Approaches serves as an invaluable resource for scientists, healthcare professionals, and herbal enthusiasts alike, equipping them with a deep understanding of the chemical, biochemical, and pharmacological dimensions of these natural remedies. By promoting an evidence-based and sustainable approach to the use of medicinal plants, this book fosters a profound connection between the scientific community and the wealth of nature’s therapeutic offerings.

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.

This book offers a broad summary of the wild plants and their usage, as well as the growing interest in ethnopharmacology research. The book comprises of important issues such as diversity of wild plants with emphasis on medicinal and food plants, threats to wild plants and traditional ethnobotanical knowledge, their uses in skin diseases, snake-bites, in cosmeceuticals, etc. Moreover, the ethnopharmacological relevance of wild plants in Latin America has been discussed. The chapters include a wide range of case studies, giving updated evidence on the importance of their wild plant resources from different countries including Peru, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Brazil. In addition, some specific species are used to explain their potential properties, as well as the dangers of their use without guidance of trained natural healers. The book discusses traditional usage and properties of wild plants and is entirely different from other related publications and useful for the researchers working in the areas of conservation biology, botany, ethnobiology, ethnopharmacology, policymakers, etc.

"Following on the successes of two previous dictionary projects, the CRC World Dictionary of Plant Names and the CRC World Dictionary of the Grasses, Umberto Quattrocchi has undertaken this dictionary of economically important plants.... He has done for these plants what was so admirably done in his other works—brought the vast and scattered literature on plant names, and in this case, too, their uses, into coherent order so that the inquisitive scholar can get a foothold." —From the Foreword, Donald H. Pfister, Harvard University and Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, Massachusetts The CRC World Dictionary of Medicinal and Poisonous Plants: Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms, Synonyms, and Etymology provides the starting point for better access to data on plants used around the world in medicine, food, and cultural practices. The material found in the five volumes has been painstakingly gathered from papers of general interest, reports and records, taxonomic revisions, field studies, herbaria and herbarium collections, notes, monographs, pamphlets, botanical literature, and literature tout court. It includes sources available at various natural history libraries, floras and standard flora works, local floras and local histories, nomenclatural histories, and the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature. Much more than a dictionary, the book provides the names of thousands of genera and species of economically important plants, concise summaries of plant properties, and appropriate observations about medicinal uses. Drawing from a tremendous range of primary and secondary sources, it is an indispensable time-saving guide for all those involved with botany, herbal medicine, pharmacognosy, toxicology, medicinal and natural product chemistry, and agriculture.

Phytotherapy is attracting increased interest for several reasons. It differs from medical procedures in that it uses the whole herb, although there is often only one component of the plant that works effectively to manage the problem. Plants contain many natural chemicals or phytochemicals that interact with the active ingredient and help prevent any side effects. Medicinal herbs and spices are investigated for their suitability in daily diets for maintaining general wellness or preventing disease. In the past decade, natural health products, dietary supplements, foods with added value, or nutraceuticals have emerged due to the increasing demand for non-pharmaceutical healthcare products. Medical herbs and spices are potential sources for developing new, effective, and safe ingredients to capture a rapidly expanding opportunity in global marketplaces. This book presents up-to-date information on the chemical, pharmacological, and nutritional uses of medicinal herbs and spices in folk medicine, pharmaceuticals, the food industry, veterinary practice, and gastronomy.

Studies in Natural Products Chemistry, Volume 78 covers the synthesis or testing and recording of the medicinal properties of natural products, providing cutting-edge accounts of the fascinating developments in the isolation, structure elucidation, synthesis, biosynthesis and pharmacology of a diverse array of bioactive natural products. Natural products in the plant and animal kingdom offer a huge diversity of chemical structures that are the result of biosynthetic processes that have been modulated over the millennia through genetic effects. With rapid developments in spectroscopic techniques and accompanying advances in high-throughput screening techniques, it has become possible to isolate and then determine the structures and biological activity of natural products rapidly, thus opening up exciting opportunities in the field of new drug development to the pharmaceutical industry. Focuses on the chemistry of bioactive natural products Contains contributions by leading authorities in the field Presents sources of new pharmacophores