Bioactive Compounds in Herbal Medicine

This book presents an elaborative account on the applicability of bioactive compounds in herbal medicine. The long term use of conventional drugs like corticosteroids has some likely side effects which are a cause of concern for experts. Herbal therapy is relatively economical, easily available and is becoming increasingly popular among people throughout the world. However, such disciplines have both pros and cons. Faulty diagnosis in the absence of consultation of an expert, incorrect choice of herbal remedy or adulterated treatment product may have severe results on the health of the patients. A lack of clinical trials and other safety mechanisms in traditional herbal therapies leads to an uncertainty over the appropriate quantity usage for treatment which may lead to adverse and unexpected results. Hence, for using herbal therapies, one needs enough knowledge about the effectiveness, risks and adequate use of such products. Therefore, it becomes important to maintain standard data regarding the utility of herbal therapies and to acquaint medical professionals about all the critical facets regarding the therapy and practice of herbal medicine.