Medicinal Plants: Properties and Therapeutic Value

Medicinal plants are plants, which possess therapeutic and medicinal properties. These plants are used for developing therapies and treatments for traditional Chinese medicine, herbalism and Ayurveda, as well as for the conventional pharmaceutical industry. Medicinal plants produce chemical compounds, which help them fight and develop a defense against fungi, diseases, insects and herbivorous animals. These compounds can be classified into the major classes of glycosides, alkaloids, polyphenols and terpenes. This book aims to shed light on some of the unexplored aspects of medicinal plants. Readers would gain knowledge that would broaden their perspective about the properties and therapeutic value of medicinal plants. This book, with its detailed analyses and data, will prove immensely beneficial to professionals and students involved in this area at various levels.