Shabnum Shaheen – författare

Substitution and adulteration in traded herbal raw material are common practice in the herbal industry due to the extinction of required species, deforestation and incorrect taxonomical identification. Herbalists have adopted methods to create high quality adulteration which cannot be detected without performing microscopic examination or chemical analysis. It is difficult to establish specific quality control standards due to the complex nature and innate unpredictability of the chemical constituents of medicinal herbs.The main parameters for measurement and adulteration prevention in medicinal herbs are morphological and microscopic investigation, chemical profiling and DNA barcoding. The need for highly sensitive and more effective approaches for the authentication of medicinal herbs is necessary in order to promote the acceptance of herbal products. 

Adulteration In Traditional Medicinal Herbs is aimed at promoting awareness of adulteration in traditional herbal medicines for the worldwide scientific community. Parameters are established for the prevention of adulteration through classical and modern scientific tools. Valuable case studies are presented based on ethno-medicinal surveys performed in many herbal markets in Pakistan. Collections of various samples were obtained from these shops then compared with the original plants collected from field. Various phytochemical, organoleptic and DNA barcoding techniques were used in order to detect adulteration in the marketed herbal samples. This book is the first of its kind and is aimed at helping the scientific community to identify particular medicinal plants which are facing adulteration problems in herbal markets and to estimate the extent of adulteration and substitution in commonly used medicinal herbs.

Due to their high nutritive value and the presence of secondary metabolites, wetland plants can be consumed by humans as food and utilized as medicinal drugs. Significant numbers of ethno-botanic resources have been reported to extract useful compounds, which can be used as pharmaceuticals. Wetland plants are also very valuable as an energy source, as fuel for fish smoking and for domestic energy. These plants can be harvested as wild stock, or cultivated in flooded paddies for aquaculture, food and for livestock fodder. All parts of plants can be utilized for foodstuff, compost, mulch, medicine, and for construction.

Wetland Plants: A Source of Nutrition and Ethnomedicine aims to promote public understanding of this remarkable resource, exploring not only their role in the ecosystem but also their nutritional and medicinal purposes. Based on original research, the text focuses on species identification (with original pictures of wetland plants including morphological features), nutritive value and ethno-medicinal uses. This book serves as an important and basic reference material for further research into the basic biological as well as the applied medicinal aspects of traditional medicinal wetland plants.

This text focuses on underutilized wild plants that can help to reduce food deficiency in developing nations. Edible wild plants are viewed as a potential solution for overcoming food insecurity for families in these regions, with a specific focus on sustainable production and conservation measures. Detailed analysis of specific wild plants is provided, including the nutritional contents of each plant. A full list of edible wild plants is included for the benefit of researchers, plus a pictorial guide for easy identification of these plants. Specific case studies are provided in which edible wild plants are used to reduce food insecurity, and the diversity of edible wild plants is studied from a global perspective.

In developing countries, a significant obstacle to human survival is the increasing gap between food availability and the growing human population. Food insecurity results in less consumption of fruits and vegetables and leads to mineral and vitamin deficiency for individuals in these regions. Edible Wild plants: An alternative approach to food security focuses on growing and using wild plants in order to reduce food insecurity and malnutrition. Wild edible plants are inexpensive and are a rich source of antioxidants, vitamins, fiber, and minerals. As the first book to specifically focus on edible wild plants and their vital role in food security and nutrition, this text is incredibly valuable to any researcher studying innovative potential solutions to food deficiency in the developing world.