Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry: Principles, Techniques, and Clinical Applications

Key information on plant-based chemical and pharmacology research, from basics and principles through recent technological advances Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry provides an overview of the basics of pharmacognosy and phytochemistry from early principles through contemporary advances like molecular pharmacognosy. The book covers the classification of crude drugs, complementary and alternative medical (CAM) systems, adulteration and evaluation of drugs, extraction methods of plant drugs, and ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology. The book also reviews the historical overview, therapeutic application, cultural and ecological dimensions of plant-based medicines. Other key chapters discuss biotechnology and clinical pharmacognosy. Written by a group of expert contributors, Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry reviews sample topics including: Methodologies for extracting bioactive compounds and techniques to perform qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis Therapeutic potential of plant secondary metabolites and the processes of isolation, purification, and characterization of herbal drugs Biological screening methods and biosynthetic pathways of phytopharmaceuticals, pharmaceutical aids, nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, pesticides, and allergens Comparative phytochemistry, chemotaxonomy, and the emerging field of marine pharmacognosy Combining traditional knowledge with modern advancements to provide a holistic understanding of two important fields, Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry serves as an excellent resource for students, researchers, and practitioners.