Herbal Plants: Medicinal and Nutritional Aspects

Medicinal plants always played an important role in the maintenance of health, well-being, and everyday life of a population worldwide. Throughout the centuries, plant leaves, stems, flowers, seeds, berries, and roots were used for healing. This book, which is based on a scientific findings and original research done in College of Veterinary and Animal Science, Navania, Vallabhnagar, Udaipur (Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bikaner) represent a comprehensive and up to date introduction of some important medicinal plants. This book focuses on presenting the current scientific evidence of biomolecular effects of selected herbs in relation to clinical outcomes and therapy for promotion of Animal Health. Although the terms “herb” and “herbal medicine” in traditional medicine are sometimes used in relation to animal or insect parts, our use of the term is limited to plants.

The herbs selected cover a wide range and include flowering herbs, leaves, and leaf exudate Neem, Ajwai, Moringa, Dhatura, Calotropis, Parthenium, Aloevera and Khejri etc. As of now, many commercially available herbal products are uncharacterized and of questionable quality or content. The composition of natural products such as herbs can vary greatly with season, growing conditions, preparation, and storage. However, there is also adulteration, contamination, and misidentification of herbs and herbal products. Improved quality control techniques and processes for the identification of herbs and the establishment of characteristic chemical “fingerprints” for herbs and herbal medicines are badly needed. The herbal plants discussed in the book have proved highly beneficial to Animal Health and control of intermediate hosts of parasites. I wish it will be greatly helpful to readers.