Artemisia annua


Book Description

Artemisia annua is a well-known medicinal plant that has been utilized for a number of purposes, including malaria, for centuries. This is the first comprehensive book to cover the importance of Artemisia annua in the global health crisis and in the treatment against diseases. A component and extract, artemisinin, is the source of other derivatives which are also suitable for pharmaceutical use. The present demand for artemisinin far outpaces its supply. Researchers are working globally towards improving artemisinin content in the plant by various means. Artemisia annua: Prospects, Applications and Therapeutic Uses highlights the different approaches, including ‘omics', that are being used in current research on this immensely important medicinal plant. Providing comprehensive coverage of the agricultural and pharmaceutical uses of this plant, Artemisia annua will be essential reading for botanists, plant scientists, herbalists, pharmacognosists, pharmacologists and natural product chemists.




Artemisia annua - Pharmacology and Biotechnology


Book Description

Artemisinin, a sesquiterpene lactone originally extracted from the medicinal plant Artemisia annua L., is an effective antimalarial agent, particularly for multi-drug resistant and cerebral malaria. However, the concentration of artemisinin in the plant is very low. Because the chemical synthesis of artemisinin is complicated and not economically feasible in view of the poor yield of the drug, the intact plant remains the only viable source of artemisinin production. Therefore, it is necessary to increase the concentration of artemisinin in A. annua to reduce the cost of artemisinin based antimalarial drugs. Plant scientists have focused their efforts on A. annua for a higher artemisinin crop yield. With the present volume, we are bringing together the research which is being done on this plant throughout the world and future possibilities for scientists and researchers who want to work on it.




Principles and Practice of Botanicals as an Integrative Therapy


Book Description

The purpose of this book is to focus on major considerations in the clinical use of botanicals as an integrated therapy in current health care. The book uses an organ system approach to presenting clinical evidence on the use of botanicals for common conditions. The chapters include brief sections on background and pharmacognosy, preparation and do




Artemisinin-Based and Other Antimalarials


Book Description

Artemisinin-Based and Other Antimalarials: Detailed Account of Studies by Chinese Scientists Who Discovered and Developed Them provides a historical and scientific background of the discovery and development of artemisinin, artemisinin derivatives, combination drugs and related chemicals. It is a historical document, a scientific treatise, and a fascinating description of innovative research on new drug development that is carried out under extremely difficult conditions. The book also includes detailed experiments, physical-chemical procedures, practical methodologies and clinical trials. It is a valuable reference for students and researchers in the fields of scientific history, medicine, pharmaceutical science, chemistry, pharmacology and toxicology. - Presents details of all stages of drug development, including in vitro experiment, animal exploratory studies, animal tests for toxicity, safety and efficacy followed by stages I, II, III and IV, safety and efficacy in human volunteers and patients with malaria - Provides many physical-chemical laboratory procedures, such as NMR, MS, HPLC and X-ray diffraction used in drug development - Includes practical methodology of clinical trials from many research centers and countries to demonstrate the importance of this discovery




Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of India Vol. 2


Book Description

This book is the 9th volume in the series Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the World. India being one of the countries with the longest and richest past/present/future of Medicinal and Aromatic Plant (MAP) production and utilization has accumulated more than sufficient knowledge to fill two volumes. This is shown by the vivid interest of Indian colleagues to contribute. Similar to the previous volumes, this one deals with the various important aspects (from botanical through phytochemical to pharmacological) of MAPs', famous or simply known of India. Scientific and technological achievements will be equally presented. In addition to the first volume, India V1, this volume is aimed to look carefully at our present knowledge of this vas interdisciplinary domain with an Indian focus. In the era of global climate change and pandemics, building on the huge Indian traditions, this book is expected to make an important contribution to the better knowledge and understanding of MAPs.




Sustainable Use of Feed Additives in Livestock


Book Description

This book offers a comprehensive collection of cutting-edge research on feed additives for a sustainable animal production, including insects and aquaculture. In five clearly structured sections, the sources of feed additives, details on their biochemistry, feed security as well as specific applications for individual farm animal species, livestock health and product characteristics (meat, milk and eggs) find attention. International expert authors provide a full description on the use of aromatic plants, extracts and essential oils as feed additives alone or in combination with functional feeds of different categories. Readers will explore the potential of feed additives to tackle environmental issues. Practical examples include the use of local feedstuffs in combination with herbal additives and enzymes. Emphasis is placed on the consequences of using local feed sources versus imported feedstuffs on global warming potential, primary energy use, nutrient excretion and the feed additive influence on lessening the pollution from animal operations. The results presented will support realization of the Sustainable Development Goals, in particular SDG 12 which stands for Responsible Consumption and Production worldwide. The use of novel and different feed additives can be an important tool to enhance sustainability, support productivity, and match increased food demands around the globe. Animal production depends on feed efficiency to sustain growth and profitability. Along these lines, the present volume is an essential reading for all future-oriented veterinarians, animal nutritionists, agricultural scientists, and moreover the feed, food and plant industry.




Medicinal Plants of the Asteraceae Family


Book Description

This book highlights 12 major plants in the Asteraceae family from the aspects of traditional uses as food and medicine, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities. Asteraceae is one of the largest family of flowering plants comprising over 1,600 plant genera and 32,000 plant species. Plants belonging to this family have a long history of being used as medicinal plants for the treatment of various diseases. Many of them are also used in the preparation of foods, beverages, and also used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In addition, plants such as Artemisia annua have played an important role in the discovery of novel drugs. The book summarizes the traditional uses of the plants in the family Asteraceae and their scientific validation, which helps readers understand their relation and impact on human health. It also explains the Phytochemistry of the species and presents the pharmacological activities and mechanisms in detail. Understanding current scientific knowledge will help in the commercialization of products based on these plants and also helps to find the research gaps that should be fulfilled in the future for their optimal use. It also helps in increasing the awareness of the plant species related to conservation, cultivation, and sustainable utilization. This edited volume comprises chapters contributed by experts from around the world.




Rising Plague


Book Description

Spellberg's book is a powerful and compelling journey into the antibiotic resistance problem . . . [written] in a personal, compelling, and easy-to-understand manner. It's a must read.--Michael Osterholm, M.D., author of "Living Terrors."




WHO Guidelines on Good Agricultural and Collection Practices [GACP] for Medicinal Plants


Book Description

Medicinal plant materials are supplied through collection from wild populations and cultivation. Under the overall context of quality assurance and control of herbal medicines WHO developed the Guidelines on good agricultural and collection practices (GACP) for medicinal plants providing general technical guidance on obtaining medicinal plant materials of good quality for the sustainable production of herbal products classified as medicines. These guidelines are also related to WHO's work on the protection of medicinal plants aiming promotion of sustainable use and cultivation of medicinal plants. The main objectives of these guidelines are to: (1) contribute to the quality assurance of medicinal plant materials used as the source for herbal medicines to improve the quality safety and efficacy of finished herbal products; (2) guide the formulation of national and/or regional GACP guidelines and GACP monographs for medicinal plants and related standard operating procedures; and (3) encourage and support the sustainable cultivation and collection of medicinal plants of good quality in ways that respect and support the conservation of medicinal plants and the environment in general. These guidelines concern the cultivation and collection of medicinal plants and include certain post-harvest operations. Good agricultural and collection practices for medicinal plants are the first step in quality assurance on which the safety and efficacy of herbal medicinal products directly depend. These practices also play an important role in protection natural resources of medicinal plants for sustainable use.




Wild Plants


Book Description

This book offers a broad summary of the wild plants and their usage, as well as the growing interest in ethnopharmacology research. The book comprises of important issues such as diversity of wild plants with emphasis on medicinal and food plants, threats to wild plants and traditional ethnobotanical knowledge, their uses in skin diseases, snake-bites, in cosmeceuticals, etc. Moreover, the ethnopharmacological relevance of wild plants in Latin America has been discussed. The chapters include a wide range of case studies, giving updated evidence on the importance of their wild plant resources from different countries including Peru, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Brazil. In addition, some specific species are used to explain their potential properties, as well as the dangers of their use without guidance of trained natural healers. The book discusses traditional usage and properties of wild plants and is entirely different from other related publications and useful for the researchers working in the areas of conservation biology, botany, ethnobiology, ethnopharmacology, policymakers, etc.