The use of plants / herbs as medicine for the care of diseases goes back to time immemorial and still the plants are the dominant form of medicine in the world. Majority of the population of the world is primarily dependent on raw plant products to meet their health care needs. A number of drugs like atropine, caffeine, digoxin, ephedrine, quinine, theophylline, tubocurarine, warfarin, taxol, vincristine and vinblastin are also derived from plants and used in modern system of medicine. The authors in this book present a comprehensive information about the history of medicinal plants from time...

The use of natural products in pharmaceutical development, rooted in early human history, has evolved into a significant domain in modern medicine. This transition from traditional knowledge to contemporary pharmaceutical sciences highlights the trust placed by humanity in the healing properties of natural medicines. Both terrestrial and marine organisms have contributed to the discovery of bioactive compounds, many of which are the foundation for modern drugs. The screening of crude plant extracts has paved the way for identifying novel bioactive compounds, leading to synthetic preparations...