A Current Perspective of Ethnopharmacology in India

Ethnopharmacology is the scientific study of traditional and folk medicines which includes social and cultural context, analysis of constituents, investigation of pharmacological activities, and evaluation of physiological and clinical impact of medicinal substance. The field of ethnopharmacology has played a crucial role in establishing the therapeutic potential of natural chemicals by documenting the advantageous effects of many plants. These substances have been extensively studied and recognized as highly significant resources for the development of pharmaceutical drugs. The current chapter gives glimpse of traditional systems of medicines practiced in India, their preclinical and clinical research, pre- and post-COVID-19 scenario and challenges.