Medicinal plants are involved in very rich and ancient heritage of traditional systems of medicine. Medicinal plants are potent and effective today as they were thousands of years ago. They are considered as one of nature's wonderful gift to mankind. There has been an increasing awareness of the utility of medicinal plants in the health care management. It is recognized that the medicinal plants provide a safer approach in solving the problems of health and diseases, in a manner that will help the eco interdependence of man, plant and animal kingdom. Therefore there is an increasing demand for plant based drugs and pharmaceuticals in the world market.
The World Health organization has estimated that perhaps 80% of the earth's inhabitants rely upon traditional medicine for their primary health care needs. Major part of the therapy involves the use of plant extracts or their active ingredients. (Bulletin of world Health Organization 1985). Scientists in many parts of the world have carried out extensive research and have proven to humanity the effective use of herbal medicines. Approximately 28% of the plant species of the world are being used as medicine in traditional systems of health care. There were about 3500 active chemical components extracted from natural resources among which 2618 are plant derivatives. 119 most successful western pharmaceuticals contain active ingredients derived from 90 plant species. (Farnsworth 1984). International trade of medicinal plants is estimated about 60 billion dollars and increasing at the rate of 5% to 15% annually.
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