Bioprospecting of Ethnomedicinal Plant Resources: Sustainable Utilization and Restoration

The majority of modern drugs are based on phytochemicals produced from ethnomedicinal plants.This new volume provides an understanding of the importance of sustainability and bioprospecting of ethnomedicinal plants for formulating novel chemical compounds and new drugs from raw materials from plants cultivated and collected from the wild for healthcare and nutrition practices. It provides extensive information on medicinal plant diversification, cultivation techniques, biotechnological approaches, and modern and traditional usages. It also provides information for developing new strategies and formulating new policies for the systematic management and conservation of medicinal resources for future use.

Gopal Shukla, PhD, is currently working as Professor in Forestry at North Eastern Hill University, Tura Campus, Tura, Meghalaya, India. Before joining as Professor, he was working as Senior Assistant Professor in Forestry at Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India. Dr. Shukla has teaching and research experience of more than 12 years. He has worked on different projects, including the National Agricultural Innovation Project (ICAR); National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (ICAR); and also as a young scientist on the project on carbon stock of different land uses (Science and Engineering Research Board, Department of Science and Technology, Government of India). The focus of his research and development work is on agroforestry, medicinal plants, forest ecology, and conservation. He has national and international publications that include 90 research papers, 30 book chapters, and eight books. He has successfully completed several research projects on forest ecology, medicinal plants, and agroforestry. Dr. Shukla also guided four doctoral and six master’s students.

Jahangeer A. Bhat, PhD, is currently associated with the Piramal Foundation for Education Leadership at Piramal University, Mumbai, India. Before taking on his current position, he was associated with the College of Horticulture and Forestry at Rani Lakshmi Bai Central Agricultural University, India. Earlier, he served as Head of the Department of Forestry at the College of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry at Fiji National University, Republic of Fiji Islands. His research work in India and Fiji Islands spans 12 years and encompasses emerging issues in forestry, including conservation of biodiversity, traditional knowledge of plants, and sustainable management of forest resources, particularly in the light of climate change scenarios. He has worked as counselor, mentor, and coordinator for forestry academic programs and has been instrumental in developing higher education and technical and vocational education and training streams of forestry and allied programs. He worked closely for accreditation with the Fiji Higher Education Commission and forestry stakeholders.

A. P. Das, PhD, is a retired Professor of Botany, University of North Bengal (NBU), Siliguri, West Bengal, India. Dr. Das is now working as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Botany, Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Arunachal Pradesh, India. He has taught plant taxonomy for over 45 years. He started as a student of plant taxonomy but later diversified his field of work, covering biodiversity, conservation, ethnobotany, ecology, weed biology, palynology, remote sensing, and aerobiology. He has published more than 240 research papers, three textbooks, three research-based books, two edited books, and other popular science books. To date, 27 students have been awarded PhDs under his supervision. He has acted as Head of the Botany Department, Director of the Centre for Life Science, Coordinator for the Department of Biotechnology, and Head of the Department of Tea Science at NBU during the course of his career. Dr. Das established the East Himalayan Society for Spermatophyte Taxonomy in 2007 and initiated the publication of the journal Pleione. He has also developed the NBU Garden of Medicinal Plants and the NBU Herbarium.

Sumit Chakravarty, PhD, is Professor and Head of the Department of Forestry, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India. He has vast experience of more than 20 years in forestry training, research, and development. He has conducted research on several aspects of forestry, agroforestry, medicinal plants, and climate change with national and international reputed publications. This includes 120 research papers, 48 book chapters, and eight books. He has successfully completed and continuing 15 research projects on forest ecology, medicinal plants, and agroforestry. He has trained more than 50 master and doctoral students in the field of forestry. Dr. Chakravarty has attended more than 50 national and international conferences as presenter and invited speaker.