Herbal Drugs as Therapeutic Agents

Phytochemicals are the mainstay of therapeutics of herbal or botanical medicine. Research on phytomolecules is conducted worldwide and several have been screened for clinical trials. This includes several promising anticancer phytomolectules, such as withaferin-a and camphothecin. This book provides a scientific understanding of the mode of action of these molecules. It targets only those phytohemicals and herbal extracts that are subjects of recent pharmacological investigations. Chapters such as industrial crops for steroid manufacturing and anticancer and cytotoxic potential of sesquiterpenoids add special flavour to the book, making readers eager to learn more about the commercial viability of phytochemical and herbal extracts.

An insight into anticancer mechanism of withaferin A. A scientific review of anticancer and cytotoxic potential of sesquiterpenoids. Survey of Indian medicinal plants for alkaloids and their pharmacology. Anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents from Indian medicinal plants. Glycyrrhizin. Tetrahydrocannabinol. (+)-pinitol. Androgrpaholide. Curcumin. Boswellic acid. Lycopene . Bacosides. Guggulsterones. Hypericin. Hyperforin. Silymarin. Forshkolin. Stevioside. Berberine. Anthraquinone. Picrosides and kutkosides. Plumbagin. Yohimbine. Carnosolic acid. Hesperidin. Baicaclein. Protopine. Vinpocetine. Tylophorine. Parthenolide. Asciaticoside.

Dr. Amritpal Singh completed his Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Ayurveda (a system of traditional Indian medicine) from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, India and B.R. Ambedkar Bihar University, Muzaffarpur, India respectively. He also holds an MSc degree in Medicinal Plants from Nagaland Open University, Nagaland and has done specialized courses in phytochemical techniques, medicinal botany and ethnopharmacology.

He started his career as an Ayurvedic Medical Officer and later became an herbal consultant. He subsequently joined as external faculty at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Mohali, Punjab and became a Senior Lecturer in Lovely Professional University, and at Dhanwantari Ayurvedic College, Chandigarh. Presently he is consultant to several national and international organizations. He has authored more than 19 books and presented more than 100 papers in Indian and international seminars and conferences. He continues to be part of the editorial team in several peer-reviewed, national and international journals related to medicinal plants. His work on medicinal plants has earned him recognition.