Medicinal plants: Potential for their therapeutic use Prabhuji S.K.1,*, Rao G.P.2, Srivastava Deepanjali3 | Dr. Shakti K. Prabhuji is presently working as Director, Biotechnology and Molecular Biology Centre, M.G. Postgraduate College, Gorakhpur, India and has been teaching Ethnobotany, Microbiology and Morphogenesis since 1975. He did his B.Sc. (Biology) in 1972 from Ewing Christian College, Allahabad (affiliated to Allahabad University), M.Sc. (Botany) in 1974 from St. Andrew's College, Gorakhpur (affiliated to Gorakhpur University) and got his Ph.D. degree in 1979 in Microbiology (Aquatic Mycology) from Gorakhpur University under the able guidance of Prof. K.S. Bhargava and Dr. G.C. Srivastava. Dr. Prabhuji has earlier served as Lecturer in Botany in St. Andrew's College, Gorakhpur and in Udit Narain Postgraduate College, Padrauna (Dist: Kushinagar) as Reader. He is a prolific researcher. His research contributions are in various fields, viz., Aquatic Mycology, Fish-mycopathology, Medical Biotechnology, Biophysics, Biomathematics and Plant Morphogenesis. He has established a laboratory for the study of water moulds in the Biotechnology and Molecular Biology Centre, M.G. Postgraduate College, Gorakhpur, first of its kind in the Country. He is Secretary of ‘Green Blessings’ Society and working on endangered medicinal plants of India. He is fellow of various academic societies. |
| Dr. Govind P. Rao is working as Officer-in-Charge at Sugarcane Research Station, Gorakhpur, India. He did his Ph.D. in Plant Virology in 1987 from Gorakhpur University on pea viruses. Dr. Rao is a Fellow of Indian Phytopathological Society and Sugarcane Technologists Association of India. He has published 15 edited books, 5 text books and 106 research publications to his credit. He is editor-in-chief of ‘Sugar Tech’, an international journal of Sugarcane crops and related industries. He is also regular member of American Phytopathological Society, British Society for Plant Pathology, Indian Virologial Society and American Microbiological Society. He has been awarded several national and international academic fellowships and honours for doing valuable research in plant pathology, biotechnology, postdoctoral work and attending international workshops and conferences. He has worked and visited many scientific laboratories of USA, France, Italy, Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, Scotland, UK, Sri Lanka, Yugoslavia, Singapore, Malaysia, Australia, China and Thailand. He has been involved in the research on biotechnological and molecular characterization and management of agricultural plant pathogens for the last 20 years. Currently he is working on characterization and management of diseases of agricultural crops of South East Asia. |
| Ms. Deepanjali Srivastava is presently working as the Lecturer in Home Science in St. Joseph's College for Women, Gorakhpur and has been teaching Nutrition, Child Health and Development and Extension Education since 2005. She did her B.Sc. (Home Science) from DDU Gorakhpur University in 2000, Diploma in I.T from Sikkim Manipal University in 2001, M.H.Sc. (Food and Nutrition) from A.P.S. University, Rewa (M.P.) in 2003 and later, did her P.G. Diploma in Dietetics and Therapeutic Nutrition from Bhoj (Open) University, Bhopal (M.P.). She has five research papers to her credit. |
1Biotechnology and Molecular Biology Centre, M.G. Postgraduate College, Gorakhpur - 273 001. 2Society for Sugar Research and Promotion, Gorakhpur - 273 008. 3Department of Home Science, St. Joseph's College for Women, Gorakhpur - 273 009. *Corresponding author: S.K. Prabhuji, E-mail: shaktiprabhuji@rediffmail.com
Abstract The status of medicinal plants’ use on global level has been given together with their conservation and sustainability. The Indian system of medicine, indigenous knowledge, cultivation and agro-techniques, and commercial and marketing systems have been discussed in detail. Various aspects of biotechnological application and the need for further research have also been given. Top Keywords Medicinal plants, Indian system of medicine, indigenous knowledge, marketing of medicinal plants, biotechnology. Top |