ABSTRACT
Crude drugs have been used in the form of medicines since immemorial time in the form of traditional Chinese medicine, Ayurveda, Kampo, traditional Korean medicine, and Unani. Phytochemicals, when studied in chemistry lab for either the development of new lead compounds or synthetic analogues with improved properties, always offer various merits such as clinical experiences, and their unique diversity of chemical structures and biological activities. Ethnomedicinal plants, such as Swertia chirata, Tribulus terrestris, and Plumbago zeylanica, have been known for their diverse biological effects. These plants offer various phytochemicals those are accountable for remedial effect against various ailments. Their medicinal effects are well documented in Indian pharmaceutical codex, the British, and the American pharmacopoeias and in different traditional medicines such as the Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, and other conventional medical systems. However, the high usage of these plants resulted in a severe decline of its populations. At the same time to meet the domestic as well as global demand, the raw material of parent plant is substituted or adulterated. Thus, recently various micropropagation methods have been developed to overcome all these challenges in order to maintain the continuous supply of their respective plant materials. The aim of this chapter is to offer scientific knowledge on the medicinal uses, phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, safety evaluation as well as the potential role of plant biotechnology in the conservation of Swertia chirata, Tribulus terrestris, and Plumbago zeylanica and to highlight its prospects.
