Biodiversity Ethnobotany and Ethnopharmacology

Contents: Preface. 1. Biodiversity conservation and management/Mary Kensa V. 2. Biodiversity and its conservation/V. Vidhya. 3. The imperative of biodiversity conservation: understanding the complex interplay of genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity/V. Sundara Prabha. 4. Challenges to biodiversity conservation in the twenty first century/G. Sahaya & Anthony Xavier. 5. Ethnobotany/J.L. Lekshmi. 6. Assessment of medicinal plants for the treatment of asthma in Pallivilai, Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu/R. Subitha Shajini, A. Nyla Azmi and A. Anisha. 7. Ethnobotanical survey on medicinal plants used to treat urinary tract infections in Kanyakumari district/R.L. Reshma and V. Mary Kensa. 8. The study compares the ethno-medico-botany of the Lodha people in West Bengal, India, with the Apatani and Kanikkars people in other regions of India/N. Ahamed Kabir and A. Doss. 9. Comparative ethno-medico-botany of the mandi ethnic community in Bangladesh with some other ethnic communities in India/N. Ahamed Kabir, G. Bhavani and A. Doss. 10. Comparative ethno-medico-botany of the Paliyans in the Sadhuragiri Hills, Virudhunagar district with the Paliyans in some other areas of Tamil Nadu/N. Ahamed Kabir, K. Afrin Banu and A. Doss. 11. Healing traditions: dermatological care through ethnomedicinal plants of the Irula tribes in the Nilgiri Hills/Lourdu Pouline S., Sathyananth M., Pramely R. and Leon Stephan Raj T. 12. Phytochemical screening and antioxidant activity of citrus fruit peels/A. Doss, G. Rajeswari and N. Ahamed Kabir. 13. Phytochemical screening of traditional medicinal plants in Tuticorin/N. Ahamed Kabir, G. Rajeswari and A. Doss. Index. 

Medicinal plants are an essential component of natural healthcare, serving not only as therapeutic agents but also as valuable raw materials for the development and production of modern medicines. Their use is deeply rooted in the accumulated wisdom and experience of countless healers over centuries knowledge inherited from ancestors, passed down through generations, and refined through continuous practice. Throughout history, in their quest to relieve pain and suffering caused by various diseases, wounds, injuries, and terminal illnesses, our ancestors turned to nature to discover substances with healing properties. This book aims to provide detailed information on locally available medicinal plants for potential drug development, highlight their pharmacological properties, and explore the screening and isolation of Phyto drugs from selected species. Comprising fifteen comprehensive chapters covering key aspects of ethnobotany, ethnopharmacology, and pharmacognosy, this work seeks to serve as a valuable resource for researchers, students, and all those interested in medicinal plants, particularly in developing countries.'