Main description:

This handbook covers the medicinal and chemical properties of Ayurvedic medicines, the plants that produce them and the currently known organic compounds that occur therein. It provides therapeutic attributes of each plant as well as indicates its potential for use as modern herbal or molecular drug. It combines the works of Ayurvedic folk medicine with modern pharmacology, botany, and chemistry in a singularly effective way. It also provides a useful standardization of classical Ayurvedic formulations. Consisting of numerous photographs of medicinal plants, this handbook will serve as an excellent reference work for chemists, botanists, pharmacists, and medical professionals.

Contents:

Section I: General Introduction .................................................................................... 1

Section II: Monographs ............................................................................................... 43

1. Abies spectabilis ......................................................................................................45

2. Acacia catechu ...........................................................................................................49

3. Achyranthes aspera ....................................................................................................55

4. Acorus calamus ..........................................................................................................60

5. Adhatoda zeylanica ....................................................................................................65

6. Aegle marmelos ..........................................................................................................70

7. Aloe vera ....................................................................................................................77

8. Alpinia galanga ...........................................................................................................85

9. Alstonia scholaris ........................................................................................................90

10. Andrographis paniculata .............................................................................................95

11. Argyreia nervosa ......................................................................................................102

12. Asparagus adscendens .............................................................................................107

13. Asparagus racemosus .............................................................................................. 111

14. Azadirachta indica .................................................................................................... 117

15. Bacopa monnieri .......................................................................................................127

16. Barleria prionitis ........................................................................................................133

17. Benincasa hispida .....................................................................................................137

18. Berberis aristata .......................................................................................................141

19. Bergenia ciliata .........................................................................................................147

20. Boerhavia diffusa .....................................................................................................152

21. Bombax ceiba ...........................................................................................................158

22. Boswellia serrata ......................................................................................................163

23. Butea monosperma ...................................................................................................169

24. Caesalpinia bonduc ...................................................................................................176

25. Calotropis procera ....................................................................................................182

26. Cannabis sativa .........................................................................................................189

27. Carum carvi ..............................................................................................................198

28. Cassia absus .............................................................................................................203

29. Cassia angustifolia ....................................................................................................206

30. Cassia fistula ............................................................................................................. 211

31. Cassia tora ................................................................................................................217

32. Cedrus deodara ........................................................................................................222

33. Celastrus paniculatus ................................................................................................227

34. Centella asiatica ........................................................................................................233

35. Cissus quadrangularis ...............................................................................................242

36. Clitoria ternatea ........................................................................................................246

37. Coccinia grandis .......................................................................................................251

38. Commiphora wightii ..................................................................................................256

39. Convolvulus microphyllus .........................................................................................264

40. Costus speciosus .......................................................................................................269

41. Crataeva nurvala ......................................................................................................274

42. Crocus sativus ..........................................................................................................279

43. Cuminum cyminum ...................................................................................................287

44. Curculigo orchioides .................................................................................................292

45. Curcuma longa..........................................................................................................297

46. Curcuma zedoaria .....................................................................................................308

47. Cyperus rotundus ......................................................................................................313

48. Desmodium gangeticum ...........................................................................................319

49. Eclipta alba ...............................................................................................................324

50. Embelia ribes ............................................................................................................329

51. Emblica officinalis .....................................................................................................334

52. Eugenia jambolana ....................................................................................................344

53. Ficus bengalensis ......................................................................................................350

54. Fumaria indica ..........................................................................................................355

55. Garcinia morella ........................................................................................................360

56. Glycyrrhiza glabra .....................................................................................................364

57. Gymnema sylvestre ..................................................................................................375

58. Hedychium spicatum ................................................................................................380

59. Hemidesmus indicus .................................................................................................385

60. Holarrhena antidysenterica .......................................................................................391

61. Hygrophila auriculata ................................................................................................396

62. Inula racemosa .........................................................................................................401

63. Lawsonia inermis ......................................................................................................405

64. Leptadenia reticulata ................................................................................................409

65. Leucas aspera ..........................................................................................................413

66. Litsea glutinosa .........................................................................................................418

67. Mallotus philippensis .................................................................................................423

68. Mangifera indica .......................................................................................................428

69. Momordica charantia ................................................................................................436

70. Moringa oleifera .......................................................................................................444

71. Mucuna pruriens .......................................................................................................453

72. Nardostachys jatamansi ............................................................................................458

73. Nelumbo nucifera .....................................................................................................463

74. Nigella sativa ............................................................................................................471

75. Ocimum sanctum ......................................................................................................480

76. Phyllanthus fraternus ................................................................................................490

77. Picrorhiza kurroa ......................................................................................................498

78. Piper longum .............................................................................................................504

79. Pluchea lanceolata ....................................................................................................512

80. Plumbago zeylanica ..................................................................................................516

81. Psoralea corylifolia ...................................................................................................522

82. Pterocarpus marsupium ............................................................................................532

83. Pueraria tuberosa .....................................................................................................537

84. Punica granatum .......................................................................................................544

85. Rauvolfia serpentina .................................................................................................555

86. Rubia cordifolia .........................................................................................................561

87. Salacia prinoides .......................................................................................................568

88. Santalum album ........................................................................................................573

89. Saussurea lappa ........................................................................................................577

90. Semecarpus anacardium...........................................................................................584

91. Sida cordifolia ...........................................................................................................590

92. Swertia chirayita .......................................................................................................596

93. Terminalia arjuna ......................................................................................................604

94. Terminalia bellirica ....................................................................................................612

95. Terminalia chebula ....................................................................................................619

96. Tinospora cordifolia ..................................................................................................628

97. Tribulus terrestris ......................................................................................................636

98. Trigonella foenum-gracecum ....................................................................................643

99. Valeriana jatamansi ...................................................................................................651

100. Vitex negundo ...........................................................................................................656

101. Withania somnifera ...................................................................................................664

102. Zingiber officinale .....................................................................................................678

103. Zingiber zerumbet .....................................................................................................691

Section III: Annexures ............................................................................................... 697

Annexure 1. Glossary of Botanical Terms ......................................................................699

Annexure 2. Glossary of Medical and Biochemical Terms ...........................................702

Annexure 3. Activity-wise Plant Listing ..........................................................................712

Annexure 4. Plant-wise Activities ....................................................................................737

Indexes ........................................................................................................................... 757

Index-1. Botanical Names ................................................................................................759

Index-2. Ayurvedic Plant Names .....................................................................................761

Index-3. Biologically Active Chemical Compounds .........................................................