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 - tained can be further explored. In developing countries, the exploding population exerts pressure not only on natural resources but also on the human population - self, whose members strive to become successful and advance in society. This leads to increased blood pressure, anxiety, obesity-associated lipid disorders, cardiov- 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 fun- 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.

Autorentext

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 (20012004), was in charge of the Department of Biotechnology (20032004), was a member of the task force on medicinal and aromatic plants at the Department of Biotechnology (Government of India, New Delhi; 20022005), and was a coordinator of the UGC-DRS and DST-FIST programs (20022007). He did his postdoctoral study at the University of Tours, France (198385) 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). 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.

Inhalt
Medicinal Plants: A Renewable Resource for Novel Leads and Drugs.- The Chemical Diversity of Bioactive Molecules and Therapeutic Potential of Medicinal Plants.- Indigenous People and Forests: Perspectives of an Ethnobotanical Study from Rajasthan (India).- Ginseng and Male Sexual Behavior.- Herbal Treatments for Erectile Dysfunction.- Harpagophytum procumbens Traditional Anti-inflammatory Herbal Drug with Broad Therapeutic Potential.- The Role of Curcumin in Modern Medicine.- Proprietary Herbal Medicines in Circulatory Disorders: Hawthorn, Ginkgo, Padma 28.- The Effects of the Green Tea Polyphenol Epigallocatechin Gallate on the Central Nervous, Endocrine, and Innate Immune Systems.- Natural Products in Cancer Chemoprevention and Chemotherapy.- Artemisinin: A Versatile Weapon from Traditional Chinese Medicine.- Anticancer and Immunomodulatory Properties of Tinospora.- Safety and Efficacy of Phytomedicines in Cancer Prevention and Treatment.- Novel Leads from Herbal Drugs for Neurodegenerative Diseases.- Traditional Medicine for Memory Enhancement.- Neuroprotective Herbs for Stroke.- Biological Activity of Ginkgo.- Vitamin E Metabolic Modulation in Plants.- Herbal Drugs of Abuse.- Biological Activities of Kinetin.- Safety Issues of Phytomedicines in Pregnancy and Paediatrics.