Phytochemical and Biological Evaluation of Plant Drugs

Crude drugs have been used as medicines from ancient times for preparation of many galenicals. Today they have been replaced by pure medicinal chemicals isolated from natural sources or prepared synthetically. Today estimate that about 80% of the people in developing countries still relays on traditional system of medicine for their primary health care. Plants from the main ingredients of medicines in traditional system of medicines and have been the source of inspiration for many researchers in field of medicine. The use of plants as medicines has involved the isolation of active compounds, beginning with the isolation of morphine from opium in the early 19th century. Isolation and characterization of pharmacologically active compounds from medicinal plants continue today. The active phytoconstituents of many plant drugs are still unexplored. The advances in phytochemistry have lead to successful exploitation of known techniques viz. Extraction, separation and purification, identification and phytopharmacological studies of the crude drugs.