Mr. Harsh Rastogi

Even in the light of increased sophistication of modern healthcare as enriched by science and technology, the use of herbal medicine will continue to thrive in both poor and rich societies for many and probably different reasons. It is important for stakeholders: governments, farmers, scientists, healthcare providers (physicians, pharmacists and nurses) and biotechnical engineers to give enough attention to herbal medicines and its challenges in a deliberate effort to create for it appropriate niche that will ensure that it develops alongside with conventional medicine. The application of science and technology especially in area of information resources, conservation and cultivation, production, analytical techniques and quality control, clinical trials and regulation should be promoted. These efforts will boost benefits, confidence and safety in the use of HMs and its possible induction into the mainstream healthcare. Though, there are several literatures on HM, it nevertheless has stooped to collate in a simple, unambiguous and readable manner a wide and indebt information that will be useful to all who have a stake in HM: scientist, healthcare professionals, engineers and the general public.