Satavar and safed musli-ingredients for herbal food: an appraisal

Abstract

Medicinal plants are rich in secondary metabolites and are potential sources of drugs. These secondary metabolites include alkaloids, glycosides, coumarins, flavonoids, steroids, etc. Generally the whole plant, roots, stem, bark, leaves, flowers, fruits, gums and oleoresins, etc. are used.1 A large number of people in developing countries have traditionally depended on products derived from plants, especially from forests, for curing human and livestock ailments. Additionally, several aromatic plants are popular for domestic and commercial uses. Collectively they are called medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs). About 12.5 % of the 4,22,000 plant species documented worldwide are reported to have medicinal values. With dwindling supplies from natural sources and increasing global demand, the medicinal and aromatic plants will need to be cultivated to ensure their regular supply for processing and value added products.2 Recently, the development of food products by supplements with herbal ingredients is important from nutritional and theraptic point of view. Now a day demand of herbal food products is increasing day by day. The production of such type of food product is more economical and profitable in the interest of health.3