Nutraceutical potential of herbs and aromatic plants of Himalayan region

Abstract

Since time immemorial, plants have been the basis of many traditional medicines and continue to provide new remedies to mankind. Indian Himalaya is a biogeographically unique region, having critically endangered and threatened endemic plant diversity, and is known for more than 8000 plant species of which 1748 are known to have medicinal properties. These plants including herbs and aromatic plants have played an important role in the lives of tribal peoples living in the Himalayas by providing them essential day-to-day products such as food and medicines. Herbs can act as stimuli to the digestive system, relieve digestive disorders, and have some antiseptic properties and several other remedial properties. These herbals are rare and contain high nutritional and medicinal properties and have incredible demands from pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and many other herbal-based industries. Global consumption of plant-based nutraceuticals has received substantial attention because of their physiological benefits and other therapeutic effects. Therefore, in recent years, the demand for plant-based nutraceutical products has progressively increased. This chapter focuses on providing an indigenous knowledge on some of the Indian Himalayan herbs and aromatic plants that might have high potential to be used as nutraceuticals.