Synopsis From time immemorial, man has been interested in trying to control diseases. The history of medicine, thus contributes review of the evolution of man and human knowledge during the 20th century and made medicine more complex. As the world’s populationi s nearing 5 billion, with this rate of growth, 3/4th of the world’s population cannot afford the products of western pharmaceutical industries. Therefore they have to rely upon the traditional medicines, which are derived from plants. Besides food, shelter and clothing, plants are an important source of fine chemicals, which find application in pharmaceuticals. Diabetes, a chronic disease once thought to be uncommon in the developing world, has now emerged countries. An estimated 30 million persons in the South East Asian region are affected. It is estimated that by 2025, there will be nearly 80 million diabetics in this region, the highest among all the WHO regions. Thus the South East Asian region will bear the maximum global burden of the disease. Sensing the importance and antidiabetic properties of the medicinal plants, articles of this book have been compiled to give a clear cut picture on the subject, and also help the medical practitioners to keep abreast of the latest developments.