Indian Valerianaceae: A Monograph on Medicinally Important Family

The present account of Indian Valerianaceae is the outcome of critical taxonomic studies carried out by me for last several years at C.D.R.I. in addition to my assigned work for the Institute. The family is well known for its medicinal and other ethnobotanical significance. For example, two famous Indian drugs, namely ‘Jatamansi’ (Indian Spikenard), derived from Nardostachys jatamansi (D. Don) DC. and Indian Valerian, derived from Valeriana jatamansi Jones, belong to this family. They are known for their carminative, nerve sedative and antispasmodic properties. However, prior to present study, the family was not well understood taxonomically in India and there was a lot of confusions, controversy on the botanical nomenclature. identity, status and geographical distribution of several species including above two which are still referred by their incorrect names viz. Nardostachys grandiflora DC. and Valeriana wallichii DC. respectively. The study resulted in several interesting findings, the important ones are summarised in the later part of the introduction (Chapter 1). The detailed systematic account with illustrations pertaining to all 24 species belonging to 4 genera viz. Nardostachys (2 spp.), Patrinia (2 spp.), Valeriana (16 spp. & 2 vars.) and Valerianella (4 spp.), forms the major part of the work (Chapter 4). The relationship of the Valerianaceae with other families is dealt in Chapter 3. The detailed account of medicinal importance (utilization) and conservational aspects are provided in Chapter 5. Chemical constituents and biological activity are given in Chapter 6. The work will be useful to botanists, chemists, pharmacologists, drug industries and teachers. Attention is also drawn for the cultivation and conservation of important and rare species by modern techniques.