E-DATABASEINFORMATION OF INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS AND ITS ACTIVE INGREDIENTS

Abstract

India is a land of indigenous medicinal plants and diverse wildlife. Since ancient time, Indians are usingthese plants and their extracts as medicine for the treatment of human diseases, and termed as traditional medicine (TM). Ayurveda, an alternative TM system, is well known across the Indian subcontinent. The oldest manuscript on Ayurveda practice is SushrutaSamhitabySushruta,written in 6th century BCE. It emphasises the use of medicinal plants and its parts with healing properties for health practices. The phytochemicals of a medicinal plant encompasses essential oils, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, phenylpropanoids and waxes. These phytochemicals are synthesized by plants as secondary metabolites, but, have numerous industrial applications. Though, we have these ancient medical practicing systems, but their documentation, dosage, inhibitory concentrations, where-abouts and the origin of medicinal plants is still not up to date. Therefore, there is a need for a repository where all the information regarding the medicinal plants and its properties should be listed. Here, we are discussing all the comprehensive information regarding all these databases of indigenous medicinal plants, which will apprehend our knowledge and understanding about Indias vast diverse medicinal flora.