ABSTRACT
The famous Indian physician, Charaka Samhita describes the uses and mode of application of some 350 medicinal plants in his well-known Sanskrit work, Charaka Samihta. The observed efficacy of many traditional medicines is another important reason for the revival of interest in medicinal plants. Several international agencies are taking an interest in the promotion of the use of and research on medicinal plants in the developing countries. United Nations Industrial Development Organization has also been actively promoting the industrial utilization of medicinal plants in developing countries, and sponsored by the UNDP and donor countries has built up an impressive technical assistance programme. The commercial information on those medicinal plants which are also used as sources of essential oils or as spices is more easily available. A substantial amount of retrospective information has also been acquired and computerized for selected genera of plants and on the pharmacology activities of natural products.
