Contents: Foreword. Preface. Introduction. I. Anti-Diabetic Drugs: 1. Anti-Hyperglycemic Agents from Natural Sources: In vitro and In vivo Studies. 2. Anti-diabetes Compounds from Aspergillus terreus. 3. The Biochemical Study on the Effects of Therapeutic Combination of Herbal Extracts in Diabetic Atherosclerosis.4. Prophylactic Potential and Medicinal Properties of Protein Sweeteners from Underutilised Plant Species. 5. Effect of Aqueous Extract of Black Seed (Nigella sativa) on Glucose, Insulin, Lipid Profile and Various Related Parameters in Type 2 Diabetic Individuals. 6. The Need for an Integrated, Multi-target In vitro Anti-diabetic Screening Platform. 7. Anti-Glycation and Glycation Reversing Potential of Salacia reticulata L. (Kothala Himbutu) Root, Stem, Leaf and Twig Extracts. II. Anti-Microbial Agents from Plants: 8. Potential Application of Tylosema esculentum Tuber Extractives in Treatment of Antibacterial Infections. 9. Detection of the Antimicrobial Activity of some Myanmar Medicinal Plants. 10. Antimicrobial and Toxicity Studies of the Aqueous Extract of the Roots of Zanthozylum zanthozyloides (Lam. Zepern and Timler Rutaceae) on Mice and Wistar Rats. 11. Chemical Screening and In vitro Antibacterial Activity of Plants Used by Rwandan Traditional Healers to Treat HIV/Aids Opportunistic Diseases. 12. Antibacterial and Antifungal Potential of Plant Seeds. III. Beneficial Effects on Health and Toxicity Studies of Herbal Drugs: 13. Sedative Activity of Essential Oil from Heracleum afghanicum KITAMURA Seeds. 14. Mechanism of Action of Active Constituents from Zingiber officinale Roscoe var. rubrum (Halia Bara) on Psoriasis. 15. Assessment of Enzyme Activities and Heamatological Parameters in Male Wister Rats Administered with Aqueous Extract of Massularia acuminata Root. 16. Sub-chronic Toxicity of Detogen-B: A Herbal Detoxifying Product. 17. Acute Toxicity Studies of Ethanol Extracts of the Seeds of Physostigma venenosum (Balf.): Biochemical and Hematological Effects on Wister Albino Rats. 18. Complementary Medicines (Category D Medicines) Quality, Safety and Efficacy. 19. Neurobehavioural Toxicity Study of a Hydro-Ethanolic Extract of Boophone disticha in Sprague Dawley Rats. IV. Herbal Drug Research in Developing Countries: 20. Traditional Medicine in Cambodia. 21. Accumulation and Production of Total Indole Alkaloids, Vinblastine and Vincristine from Egyptian Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don. Calli Cultures by using Levels of Cytokinins (Kin). 22. Herbal Medicine in Egypt between Ancient and Modern Civilization. 23. Identification of Herbal Drugs. 24. Herbals from the High Mountains in the East Mediterranean. 25. Traditional Herbs and Allergy: An Investigation from Vietnam. Mysore - Ooty Resolution on Herbal and Medicine Knowledge for Health and Wellness.
Herbal medicines have so far not been strictly based on evidence gathered using the scientific methods, but lately these have gained a lot of attention and a greater scientific interest in the medicinal use of plants has arisen. Although herbal supplements may be considered safe, some are known to be toxic at high doses and others may have potential side effect after prolonged use. The general public is largely unaware that adverse health effects can be associated with the use of herbal supplements resulting from overdosing. There are the matters of great concern. Extensive research is also needed to meet the challenges of identifying the active compounds in the plants, and there should be research-based evidence on whether whole herbs or extracted compounds are better. Smart screening methods and metabolic engineering offer exciting technologies for new natural product drug discovery. Advances in rapid genetic sequencing, coupled with manipulation of biosynthetic pathways, may provide a vast resource for the future discovery of pharmaceutical agents. ( (jacket)
