This detailed treatise is written for botanists, chemists and biologist as companion volume to "Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants" by Chopra, Nayar & Chopra, and covers the ten-year period 1960-69.
While following the general format of the 'Glossary', taking cognisance of the widespread spurt in research on medicinal plants, the write-up on each plant also includes new type of data/information. Two new sections have, therefore, been addeda section on 'New Compounds' gives the chemical structures of new compounds isolated and a section on 'Biological Activity' summarises the biological work on pure constituents isolated from a plant. These sections would add immensely to the usefulness of the Compendium.
The first part of the volume presents the logistics of the writeup in an 'Explanatory Note', which is followed by the description of 1200 plants in 442 pages. Finally, three index-es (155pages) comprising local names, chemical constituents and biological activities have been provided.
The volume will be welcomed by all those working on medicinal plants/natural products who will appreciate that such a wealth of information has been assembled in a classified manner in a single volume.
This compendium has been designed as a companion volume to Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants by Chopra, Nayar & Chopra (hereinafter referred to as Glossary). All the plants have been listed in alphabetical order and reference to the Glossary has been given for those plants which are included therein; in the case of new plants, not listed in the Glossary, their local names and distribution have also been included, wherever known, in keeping with the pattern of the Glossary. The distributional range of such plants has been confined to the present political boundary of India. Bhutan and Nepal have also been included because these countries fall within the unbroken chain of the Himalayas and some of the Himalayan species occur in contiguous territories in India, Bhutan and Nepal. Certain plants, although not found in India, are included either because these were listed in the Glossary or are sold in indigenous drug market in India.
The literature cited is on the basis of complete screening of Chemical Abstracts and Biological Abstracts and covers the ten-year period from 1960 to 1969. It has been aimed to make the compendium exhaustive by including research done anywhere in the world on the taxa found in India, whether indigenous or introduced.
LITERATURE CITATION
The abbreviations of the reference citations are in accordance with the practice followed in Chemical Abstracts and Serial Sources for the Biosis Data Base, Volume 1985. Since many journals, especially those published in Latin American, African and South-east Asian countries, are not available in most Indian libraries and some journals have stopped publication or have changed their names, cross reference to Chemical Abstracts have been given in such cases.
BOTANICAL NOMENCLATURE
Since the nomenclatures of many plants have undergone revision in the preceding decades, the names of plants, including those given in the Glossary and in the cited references, have been updated as far as possible to provide currently accepted names. In cases of change of name, the obsolete names have been given as synonyms according to the following order: the currently accepted name is followed by the name given in the Glossary and then by the corresponding name listed in Hooker's Flora of British India or other subsequent relevant literature as addition to Indian flora (if it is different from the name listed in the Glossary), and finally by the title name of the plant given in the reference cited, if it is different from the carlier mentioned names. Similarly, the names of the natural orders (families) have also been revised wherever required according to the currently accepted pattern.
There is divergence of opinion among Indian botanists on the merits of maintaining or splitting of a few large genera like Bauhinia, Euphorbia and Polygonum. In order to decide their proper status, detailed taxonomic investigations of the species are required. In this compendium, therefore, their existing generic status has been maintained.
The Plant names nentioned under synonymy, in case of name change, have been inserted in their alphabetical order and cross references to their currently accepted names have been given to facilitate search for any particular plant on which information may be required.
STRUCTURES
Structure of some substances have been revised and in many cases absolute stereostructures have been determined in the post-1969 years. To provide complete information to the readers and also to avoid duplication in the second volume (1970 to 1979), an attempt has been made to present current structures with the relevant post-1969 references, wherever applicable.
INDEXES
Besides indexes of local names and chemical substances isolated, an additional index of biological activities has also been provided to enhance the usefulness of the compendium to all classes of readers.
Acupuncture & Acupressure (204)
Gem Therapy (23)
Homeopathy (503)
Massage (22)
Naturopathy (430)
Original Texts (223)
Reiki (60)
Therapy & Treatment (165)
Tibetan Healing (133)
Yoga (41)
हिन्दी (1129)
Ayurveda (3050)
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