Halina Maria Ekiert – författare

This reference work provides a comprehensive review of cell and tissue differentiation and its role in the formation of specific secondary metabolites. Divided into five sections, this book covers the main cellular processes involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Chapters from expert contributors offer specific case studies of cell and tissue differentiation, examines secondary metabolites in shoot and root cultures, and present new scientific insights and original technologies with applications in medicinal plants and in plant biotechnology.

Students, scholars and researchers with an interest in the fields of botany, agriculture, pharmacy, biotechnology and phytochemistry will find this book an important account. This book will also engage professionals working in plant-based industry.

Medicinal plant research is an evergreen subject. There is a tremendous increase in popularity of herbal medicine in traditional medicine, ethnomedicine, modern medicine and as over the counter food supplements. Even after this increased demand, supply is neither uniform nor assured as most of these plants are collected from wild. In developing countries of tropical and subtropical regions where majority of herbal drugs are produced, this is not organised sector making it vulnerable to several malpractices, hence standardization of all aspects required. This has also negative impact on biodiversity and conservation of plants as well as supply of uniform material.

This book is aimed to provide up to date information about sustainable use of selected medicinal plants, their active ingredients and efforts made to domesticate them to ensured uniform supply. Development of agrotechnology, biotechnology and cultivation practices using conventional and non-conventional methods arepresented. Where these efforts will lead the medicinal plant research and future perspective are discussed.

The chapters are written by well recognised group leaders in working in the field. The book contains topics on general biology of medicinal plants, their sustainable use and, cultivation and domestication efforts. A uniform chapter structure has been designed to keep consistency. The book will be useful for academicians, agriculturists, biotechnologists and researcher, and industries involved in manufacturing herbal drugs and supplementary products.