Chamomile - Medicinal, Biochemical, and Agricultural Aspects

In use as a medicinal plant since time immemorial in Europe and the Middle East, chamomile is gaining popularity in the Americas, Australia, and Asia. The spectrum of disease conditions in which it is used in traditional medicine systems is, quite simply, mind boggling. There is, without a doubt, a growing demand for this plant and therefore a growing need for an updated ready reference for the researchers, cultivators, and entrepreneurs who wish to work with chamomile. Chamomile: Medicinal, Biochemical, and Agricultural Aspects is just that.Based on extensive research, this book provides the latest information on the medicinal, aromatic, and cultivation aspects of chamomile. It covers chamomile’s geographical distribution, taxonomy, chemistry, pharmacology, genetics, biochemistry, breeding, and cultivation. The book also discusses the profiles of the several medicinally active compounds of the oil and extracts and how their levels could be increased through breeding. The author highlights several potentially useful compounds discovered in the chamomile oil and extracts and discusses the cultivation and postharvest technology aspects of the plant in different agroclimatic zones including that of India. She presents guidelines on the good manufacturing practices laid out in different systems of medicine and provides an overview of the patents and products of chamomile especially important to researchers and entrepreneurs.Although there is a plethora of information available on chamomile, the challenge has been finding a central repository that covers all aspects of the plant. Some books provide general coverage, others focus on only on pharmacological uses, and many are outdated. This book examines all aspects from cultivation and harvesting, to essential oil content and profile as well as pharmacology and biotechnology. It is a reference for current information, an entry point for further study, a resource for using oils and extrTable of ContentIntroduction to Chamomile. Chamomile: Botany. Chamomile: Medicinal Properties. Chamomile oil and extract: Localization chemical composition, extraction and identification. Genetics and Breeding of Chamomile. Cultivation of Chamomile. Chamomile: Patents and Products.Review Quote"Readers can easily access information relevant to their specific needs through the detailed table of contents. Researchers will appreciate the extensive description of chamomile's chemical properties, while cultivators and entrepreneurs will value the overview of the breeding and cultivation of the plant in diverse parts of the world. Overall, the book provides a comprehensive review of the available research regarding the many aspects of the history, chemical properties, and good manufacturing practices of chamomile." -Patricia Buderwitz, Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate, University of Rhode Island, Kingston -Anne L. Hume, PharmD, FCCP, BCPS, Professor of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston -From HerbalGram, February - April 2015Biographical NoteDr. Moumita Das is presently Assistant Director in the National Centre for Innovation in Distance Education at the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU). Earlier she was the Assistant Director at the National Centre for Innovation in Distance Education (NCIDE), IGNOU. She did her graduation and post-graduation from the University of Delhi. For her PhD, she did research at the Central Institute for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (CIMAP), Lucknow. She was a research fellow at the Institute for Genomics and Integrative Biology, where she worked in the field of drug discovery. Dr. Das has published many papers in journals of national and international repute. Her areas of interest include medicinal plants and sustainable development.