The Indian Herbal Drugs Scenario in Global Perspectives

Herbal drugs are essential components of traditional medicine in several countries including China and India. India has a well-established system of medicine known as Ayurveda. Ayurveda utilises plants, animal and minerals for the welfare of human beings. India is also a hot-spot of megabiodiversity. There is an urgent need to rationally utilise medicinal plants for curative purposes with proper maintenance of biodiversity. The government of India has taken several initiatives to develop technology for the effective conservation and efficient utilisation of medicinal plants, to coordinate research and developmental activities as well as to prepare databases. Priority of the Department of Biotechnology, Government of India and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, demand that the top 20 medicinal plants in India, plants be imported and exported from India vis-a-vis world demand. Scientific validation of pharmacological activity of age-old drugs used in Ayurveda reinforces faith in the traditional system, in which plants are selected only on the basis of experience. This review provides information on Indian herbal drug biodiversity, supply and demand, use of herbal drugs in the pharmaceutical industry and quality control methods required for the modern drug industry.

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