Preface

Drug discovery remains a challenge currently despite the advancements such as high throughput screening (HTS) of the synthetic libraries of candidate compounds. Even in the modern era of medicine, getting a drug to the market is extremely difficult and we still continue to rely on our traditional knowledge of medicinal plants in the hope to get new drugs for better therapies. Plants have traditionally been used for the treatment of various illnesses and despite the discovery of drugs derived other than plants such as antibiotics and HTS of synthetic drugs, plant-based products remain significant in numbers as drug molecules. Various plant-based medicines such as paclitaxel, artemisinin, quinine, digoxin, etc. are in clinical use. These drugs have revolutionized the medical world as they are highly potent against various diseases.

The Himalayan region is considered one of the richest biodiversity regions of the world exhibiting a wide variety of plant wealth, generally regarded as the Gold mine of medicinal and aromatic plants. In addition to the description of Himalayan plants in traditional medicine systems such as Ayurveda or Chinese medicines, plants of the Himalayas are utilized by the local people of the region in the preparation of a variety of herbal formulations for the treatment of a number of aliments including cancer, gut diseases, diabetes, etc. Several plant-based drugs viz. Artemisinin, Berberine, Quinine, Emetine, Ephedrine, Digoxin, Taxol, Podophyllotoxin, etc. are obtained from plants in the Himalayan region. This book compiles recent studies on the developments in the role of bioactive phytochemicals derived from Himalayan plants in protection against various disorders and associated research tools.

The first chapter authored by Bhatia and coworkers discussed the anticancer potential of some of the Himalayan botanicals and their underlying pathways. The second chapter of the book by Pandit et al. summarized the hepatoprotective activities of several high-altitude Himalayan plants and tabulated heptoprotective molecules from these plants. Singh and Singh demonstrated the potential role of Himalayan botanicals in neuroprotection in the third chapter. Chapter four by Pandey et al. collated the antidiabetic potential of Swertia chirayita, which is an important herb of Himalayan origin. Several pathways modulated by Grewia berries in metabolic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and hepatic disorders are described in chapter five by Rajput et al. Sharma et al. discussed the therapeutic role of Atropa belladona obtained from the Himalayas in chapter six. Rajak et al. focussed on the immunomodulatory aspects of Tinospora cordifolia in chapter seven, and Kavita et al. described the immunomodulatory potential of Withania somnifera in chapter 8. In chapter 9, Mishra et al. discussed Himalayan plants, which confer immunomodulation and antioxidant protection. Chapter Ten by Shagun and Masakapalli comprehensively describes the tools and techniques to isolate phytochemicals from Himalayan plants. Shagun and Masakapalli in the last chapter discussed various phytochemical databases and demonstrated how to use them to look for the botanicals derived from Himalayan plants to facilitate phytotherapy research. The last two chapters hold great significance as tools for researchers working in this area.

It is to be noted that the authors of various chapters are responsible and answerable for any scientific queries and questions. We are highly grateful to the scientists, who have contributed their research and made this book a unique compilation of studies in the field. The book can serve as a handbook for researchers working on various aspects of Himalayan plants focusing on therapy.