Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of Himachal Pradesh English 1999

The use of plants as source of medicines and human sustenance has been in vogue since antiquity. India has a rich heritage of use of plants as medicines. Indians systems of medicines utilize 80 percent of the material derived out of plants. There are over 2500 plants species in India having documented medicinal value. Global estimates indicate that 80 percent of population's cannot afford the products of the western pharmaceutical industry and have to rely upon the use of traditional medicines mainly derived form the plants. The literature on medicinal plants is quite vast, scattered and not available at one place. Even in big libraries. A great necessity was felt to have relevant literature at one place providing multi-disciplinary information on such resources. This book is based on personal explorations made by the author in all parts of Himachal Pradesh supported by collections, identification, compilation of information on traditional knowledge gathered during surveys, covering status of existing resources, utilization potential conservation needs, cultivation efforts in herbal gardens and establishment of Herbaria at IRISM, Jogindernagar and at Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture & Forestry, Nauni, Solan. The Book covers around 700 species of medicinal and aromatic plants of Himachal Pradesh, representative of not only the western Himalaya, But also of the entire Hindukush Himalayan region. The plants described in detail cover Latin Name, family, common and local names, distribution in Himachal Pradesh, description of the plant, parts used, market rate, chemical constituents, formulations, uses and cultivation notes. Sketches and color photographs in the book will facilitate identity and comprehension by the readers. Appendices include information on commercial plants available for trade and drug industry, annual out turn of raw material during the past five years, endangered species, plants for phyto-chemical industry, dhoop and incense, tans and dye