Ethnopharmacological Investigation of Indian Spices

Book excerpt: Though their usage greatly diminished at the dawn of the scientific area, Indian spices were traditional parts of healthcare for thousands of years. However, over the last decade, largely due to the growth in popularity of complementary and alternative medicine, spices have regained attention due to their physiological and functional benefits. By applying modern research methods to traditional remedies, it is possible to discover what made these spices such effective ailment treatments. Ethnopharmacological Investigation of Indian Spices is a collection of innovative research that analyzes the chemical properties and medical benefits of Indian spices in order to design new therapeutic drugs and for possible utility in the food industry. The book specifically examines the phytochemistry and biosynthetic pathway of active constituents of Indian spices. Highlighting a wide range of topics including pharmacology, antioxidant activity, and anti-cancer research, this book is ideally designed for pharmacologists, pharmacists, physicians, nutritionists, botanists, biotechnicians, biochemists, researchers, academicians, and students at the graduate and post-graduate levels interested in alternative healthcare.