Ramawat.K.G. - Herbal Drugs Ethnomedicine to Modern Medicine, ANGIELSKIE
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Herbal Drugs: Ethnomedicine to Modern Medicine
K.G. Ramawat (Ed.)
Herbal Drugs: Ethnomedicine
to Modern Medicine
123
Editor
Prof. Dr. K.G. Ramawat
M.L. Sukhadia University
Botany Dept.
Udaipur-313002
India
ISBN: 978-3-540-79115-7
e-ISBN: 978-3-540-79116-4
Library of Congress Control Number: 2008935113
c
Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2009
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About the editor
Professor K.G. Ramawat
(born in 1952) received his M.Sc. (1974) and Ph.D.
(1978, Plant Biotechnology) from the University of Jodhpur, Jodhpur, India and
became a faculty member in January of 1979. He joined M.L. Sukhadia University
as an Associate Professor in 1991 and became a Professor in 2001. He served as
Head of the Department of Botany (2001–2004), was in charge of the Department
of Biotechnology (2003–2004), was a member of the task force on medicinal and
aromatic plants at the Department of Biotechnology (Government of India, New
Delhi; 2002–2005), and was a coordinator of the UGC-DRS and DST-FIST pro-
grams (2002–2007). He did his postdoctoral study at the University of Tours, France
(1983–85) and subsequently worked as visiting professor at the University of Tours
(1991) and University of Bordeaux 2, France (1995, 1999, 2003, 2006). He visited
Poland under the auspices of an INSA-PAN academic exchange program (2005). He
has published more than 100 research papers and review articles in reputed journals
and books. He has edited two books on the biotechnology of secondary metabolites
and of medicinal plants (Scientific Publishers, Enfield, USA and Springer verlag,
Heidelberg, Germany). Professor Ramawat has completed several major research
projects from UGC, CSIR, ICAR, DBT, and DST, and has supervised the doctoral
theses of 16 students. He has been a member of the Plant Tissue Culture Association
of India since 1991.
v
Preface
Considerable progress has been made in our healthcare system, in particular with
respect to sensitive diagnostic tools, reagents and very effective and precise drugs.
On the other hand, high-throughput screening technology can screen vast numbers
of compounds against an array of targets in a very short time, and leads thus ob-
tained can be further explored. In developing countries, the exploding population
exerts pressure not only on natural resources but also on the human population it-
self, whose members strive to become successful and advance in society. This leads
to increased blood pressure, anxiety, obesity-associated lipid disorders, cardiovas-
cular diseases and diabetes. Most of these diseases result in disturbed family life,
including sexual behaviour.
Despite technological developments, herbal drugs still occupy a preferential
place in a majority of the population in the Third World and terminal patients in the
West. Herbal drugs, in addition to being cost effective and easily accessible, have
been used since time immemorial and have passed the test of time without having
any side effects. The multitarget effects of herbs (holistic approaches) are the funda-
mental basis of their utilization. This approach is already used in traditional systems
of medicine like Ayurveda, which has become more popular in the West in recent
years. However, the integration of modern science with traditional uses of herbal
drugs is of the utmost importance if ones wishes to use ancient knowledge for the
betterment of humanity. This book will try to bridge this gap and will be a valuable
source for herbalists, traditional and modern medical practitioners, and researchers
in botany, ethnobotany, pharmacy, phytochemistry and agriculture. Contributions
on herbs used for beneficial effects on memory, sexual behaviour, neurodegener-
ation, erectile dysfunction, inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, cancer preven-
tion, stroke and central nervous system disorders will provide vital information to
readers.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge my contributors, who have gone to great
lengths to ensure the high scientific quality of the book. I would also like to thank
my colleagues at Springer.
July 2008
K.G. Ramawat
vii
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