The Agronomy and Economy of Turmeric and Ginger


Book Description

Turmeric has been used as a medicine, a condiment, and a dye since at least 600 B.C., while ginger has been used extensively throughout history for its medicinal purposes. The Agronomy and Economy of Turmeric and Ginger brings these two important plants together in one reference book, explaining their history, production techniques, and nutritional and medicinal properties in detail. This book is intuitively organized by plant and use, allowing quick access to information. It puts the uniquely Indian use and history of turmeric and ginger plants into a global context of production and economic aspects. It explores the plants from a botanical perspective, and goes into details of their chemical composition as well. Rounding out the book are chapters on disease and pest control issues. The book is a valuable resource for those involved in the production and marketing of these plants, as well as those looking for more information on the medicinal and nutritional properties of turmeric and ginger. - The first book to bring together extensive information about turmeric and ginger - Incorporates medicinal, nutritional and agricultural aspects of the two plants - Offers a global perspective




Horticultural Reviews, Volume 46


Book Description

Horticultural Reviews presents state-of-the-art reviews on topics in horticultural science and technology covering both basic and applied research. Topics covered include the horticulture of fruits, vegetables, nut crops, and ornamentals. These review articles, written by world authorities, bridge the gap between the specialized researcher and the broader community of horticultural scientists and teachers.




Turmeric


Book Description

For the last 6000 years turmeric has been used in Ayurvedic medicine to alleviate pain, balance digestion, purify body and mind, clear skin diseases, expel phlegm, and invigorate the blood. Nowadays, this plant has acquired great importance with its anti-aging, anti-cancer, anti-Altzheimer, antioxidant, and a variety of other medicinal properties.




Horticultural Reviews, Volume 45


Book Description

Horticultural Reviews presents state-of-the-art reviews on topics in horticultural science and technology covering both basic and applied research. Topics covered include the horticulture of fruits, vegetables, nut crops, and ornamentals. These review articles, written by world authorities, bridge the gap between the specialized researcher and the broader community of horticultural scientists and teachers.




Chemistry and Bioactive Components of Turmeric


Book Description

Turmeric belongs to the family Zingiberaceae and is a yellow spice of high economic importance due to its medicinal value. Cultivated in tropical and sub-tropical regions around the world, it is used extensively as a colouring, flavouring and preserving agent. In recent years, several drugs derived from natural products have been developed and current drug research is actively investigating the possible therapeutic roles of many Ayurvedic medicines, most notable among those being examined is turmeric. The wide range of pharmacological activities attributed to turmeric come mainly from curcuminoids and two related compounds, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin. This comprehensive book brings together the research carried out on constituents obtained from turmeric and highlights their chemical and biological activities. Comprising 17 chapters, each written by experts in their respective field and curated by authorities, it will be invaluable to all those who are involved in the production, processing, marketing, and the use of turmeric. Appealing to researchers and professionals in natural products, nutraceuticals and food chemists, this book is exposing some of the myths and showing areas for possible future use.







Advanced Pharmacological Uses of Medicinal Plants and Natural Products


Book Description

A vast majority of the world’s population lacks access to essential medicines and the provision of safe healthcare services. Medicinal plants and herbal medicines can be applied for pharmacognosy, or the discovery of new drugs, or as an aid for plant physiology studies. In recent years, there has been increased interest in the search for new chemical entities and the expression of resistance of many drugs available in the market has led to a shift in paradigm towards medicinal research. Herbal treatments, the most popular form of folk medicine, may become an important way of increasing access to healthcare services. Advanced Pharmacological Uses of Medicinal Plants and Natural Products provides emerging research exploring the theoretical and practical aspects of drug discovery from natural sources that allow for the effective treatment of human health problems without any side effects, toxicity, or drug resistance. Featuring coverage on a broad range of topics such as ethnobotany, therapeutic applications, and bioactive compounds, this book is ideally designed for pharmacologists, scientists, ethnobotanists, botanists, health researchers, professors, industry professionals, and health students in fields that include pharmaceutical drug development and discovery.




Ethnopharmacological Investigation of Indian Spices


Book Description

Though their usage greatly diminished at the dawn of the scientific area, Indian spices were traditional parts of healthcare for thousands of years. However, over the last decade, largely due to the growth in popularity of complementary and alternative medicine, spices have regained attention due to their physiological and functional benefits. By applying modern research methods to traditional remedies, it is possible to discover what made these spices such effective ailment treatments. Ethnopharmacological Investigation of Indian Spices is a collection of innovative research that analyzes the chemical properties and medical benefits of Indian spices in order to design new therapeutic drugs and for possible utility in the food industry. The book specifically examines the phytochemistry and biosynthetic pathway of active constituents of Indian spices. Highlighting a wide range of topics including pharmacology, antioxidant activity, and anti-cancer research, this book is ideally designed for pharmacologists, pharmacists, physicians, nutritionists, botanists, biotechnicians, biochemists, researchers, academicians, and students at the graduate and post-graduate levels interested in alternative healthcare.




Indian Spices


Book Description

This work comprehensively covers the production, processing and post harvest technology of Indian spices with an added focus on the history and uniqueness of this legendary regional product. Individual chapters describe the unique aspects of these spices and their production, post harvest technology and value addition, molecular breeding, organic farming aspects, climate change effects and bioactive compounds. Seasonal, preparatory, and storage conditions resulting in composition variations are explored. Indian Spices: The Legacy, Production and Processing of India’s Treasured Export begins by outlining the historical legacy of Indian spices and describing the many aspects that make this product so unique and highly valued. The abundance and variety of these spices are also delineated. Further chapters focus on current research involving the production technology involved in production, management, harvesting and processing of Indian spices along with post harvest processes, storage and transportation. Important and effective trends such as molecular breeding for spice crop improvement, tissue culture, climate change impacts, organic spices, extension strategies and secondary metabolites receive dedicated chapters. A valuable aspect of this work is the presentation of value chains for these spices, with extensive research presented on the marketing and export of the product. With the shift from localized distribution networks to a fully globalized industry, this book comes at an important time of growth for Indian spices and will be of major value to any researcher with interest in the past, present and future of this product.




Formulating, Packaging, and Marketing of Natural Cosmetic Products


Book Description

Balanced coverage of natural cosmetics, and what it really means to be "green" The use of natural ingredients and functional botanical compounds in cosmetic products is on the rise. According to industry estimates, sales of natural personal care products have exceeded $7 billion in recent years. Nonetheless, many misconceptions about natural products for instance, what "green" and "organic" really mean continue to exist within the industry. Formulating, Packaging, and Marketing of Natural Cosmetic Products addresses this confusion head-on, exploring and detailing the sources, processing, safety, efficacy, stability, and formulation aspects of natural compounds in cosmetic and personal care products. Designed to provide industry professionals and natural product development experts with the essential perspective and market information needed to develop truly "green" cosmetics, the book covers timely issues like biodegradable packaging and the potential microbial risks they present, the use of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) to identify biomarkers, and chromatographic methods of analyzing natural products. A must-read for industry insiders, Formulating, Packaging, and Marketing of Natural Cosmetic Products provides the reader with basic tools and concepts to develop naturally derived formulas.