Therapeutic Products from Botanical Sources: The Indian Scenario

Abstract

The drug and pharmaceutical industry is one of the most rapidly growing and R&D intensive industries in the world. The search for new therapeutic agents and drugs from natural sources, such as plants, received a boost in the recent past due to increased awareness of side effects and toxicity associated with the allopathic drugs, coupled with the belief that botanicals products are green and more acceptable to humans. India, being the fertile ground of several medicinal systems, has given birth to a multitude of medicinal practices, some of them have survived with intact traditional knowledge. The rich Indian heritage associated with prevailing healing practices led to the identification of several medicinal plants and formulations that were traditionally used for curative purpose. Botanicals, as a source of small molecules with a view to identify new therapeutic agents, remains as one of the major developmental as well as academic activities pursued by several institutes and universities in the post independent era in India. However, the resurgence of natural products in the last decade has also forced the participation of private industry in this race. Though Indian contribution in the area of therapeutics agents, may it be a single molecule or standardized botanical preparations, have been far and few. Yet some of the leads generated have been noticed globally and developed into useful products. The present review will cover some of the past and recent efforts made by various agencies in the development of new leads or therapeutics in the Indian context. It will also include the research and development work being carried out at the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine at Jammu.