The majority of Encyclopaedia that have been published on the subject of Dyes and Drugs have been Technological biased and do not appeal to the mainstream Organic Chemist. An elegant manner which emphasises the role of Organic Chemistry in Dyestuffs. Pharmacognosy as a discipline deals with the history, collection, selection, identification, valuation and preservation of Crude Orugs of Vegetable and Animal Origin. This important work on the subject is of high and lasting reference value for Drug Analysts, Pharmacognosists, Pharmacists and Crude Drug Collectors. It is assumed that the reader is having a knowledge of the basic principles of Organic Chemistry; the only other requirement is a general interest in Organic Chemistry. Medicinal plants have been used as a major source of therapeutic agents by human being for thousands of years. Ancient men obtained more than 90% of his medicaments from Higher Plants. The importance of plants as a source of drugs decreased to certain extent. Inspite of the fact that Synthetic Drugs and Antibiotics have improved the life expectancy of man, plants still constitute as one of the major sources of raw materials for drugs all over the world. These dyes in Pharmaceuticals, Herbal Cosmetics, Paints and Paintings also are explained. Substitute sources, New Chromophores, Bioactivities Including Antioxidant Potential and Antimicrobial properties of the plant-derived dyes.
