Herbal Drug Industry

India is sitting on a gold mine of well-recorded and traditionally well-practised knowledge of herbal medicine. This country is perhaps the largest producer of medicinal herbs and is rightly called the botanical garden of the world. There are very few medicinal herbs of commercial importance which are not found in this country. India officially recognizes over 3000 plants for their medicinal value. It is generally estimated that over 6000 plants for their medicinal value. It is generally estimated that over 000 plants in India are in use in traditional, folk and herbal medicine, representing about 75% of the medicinal needs of the Third World countries. Three of the ten most widely selling herbal medicines in the developed countries, namely preparations of Allium sativum, Aloe barbedensis and Panax sp. are available in India. There are about 7000 firms manufacturing traditional medicines with or without standardization. Medicinal herbs have been in use in one form or another, under indigenous systems of medicine like Ayurveda, Sidha and Unani. India, with its traditional background, needs to increase its share in the world market. But unlike China, India has not been able to capitalize on this herbal wealth by promoting its use in the developed world, despite their renewed interest in herbal medicines. This can be achieved by judicious product identification based on diseases prevalent in the developed world for which no medicine or palliative therapy is available. Such herbal medicines will find speedy access into those countries. Undoubtedly, the plant kingdom still holds many species of plants containing substances of medicinal value which have yet to be discovered. India is a land of immense biodiversity in which two out of eighteen hot spots of the world are located. India is also one of the twelve mega biodiversity in which two out of eighteen hot spots of the world are located. India is also one of the twelve mega biodiversity countries in the world. This book is a comprehensive information of the fundamental aspects of herbal drug industry.