Synopsis The East was known for its exotic plants and the lore associated with them. Down the ages, the inhabitants of our forests have been using their collective wisdom gained through centuries of experience and experimentation, sometimes fatal, to find out and use the medicinal properties of these plants for their own welfare. Of late, Western scientists too have begun appreciating the medicinal value of the varied plant life and many of them prefer to base modern medicines on what Nature provides through its bountiful storehouse of plant life. This book discusses the characteristics of 560 genera covering nearly 1170 species. An integrated and comprehensive account of all related aspects of the subject such as nomenclature, description, distribution, cultivation, processing, physical and chemical properties of a large selection of plants have been incorporated. Moreover, several interesting aspects on history, isolation and characterisation of active principles, transformation of medicinal system, medicinal plants, which are widely known for their curative effects of certain diseases, export of medicinal plants and phytochemicals, suggestions for improvement of medicinal crop industry, etc. are also discussed.