Textbook of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry is the outcome of numerous efforts of authors to assimilate the voluminous knowledge of traditional and modern pharmacognosy, which has long been a requirement of the curricula of various universities across the world. In times of yore, pharmacognosy was considered as the study of drugs of natural origin. The American Society of Pharmacognosy derived it as the study of physical, chemical, biochemical and biological properties of drug, drug substances or potential drugs or drug substances of natural origin as well as the search for new drugs from natural sources. The world of pharmacognosy has continuously been enriching with multifaceted information considering various aspects of the natural drugs including history, alternative medicinal systems, classification, morphology, identification, cultivation, collection, production and utilization of drugs; trade and utilization of medicinal and aromatic plants and their contribution to national economy; adulteration of drugs of natural origin; evaluation of drugs by their physical, chemical and organoleptic properties; biological screening of herbal drugs; biosynthetic pathways of various phytopharmaceuticals; pharmacognostical study of crude drugs; extraction, isolation and purification of herbal drugs and modern plant biotechnology. Such an enormous information about the natural drug gives rise to a subject that is now recognized as modern pharmacognosy. It is a highly interdisciplinary science, encompassing a broad range of studies involving phytochemical study of medicinal plants and biologically active principles obtained from plants in addition to the traditional pharmacognostical aspects of natural drugs. Considering all this comprehensive information of the subject, a textbook is premeditated to contribute substantially to the world of pharmacognosist. This modern book of pharmacognosy and phytochemistry emphasizes the biodiversity of plants and encompasses biosynthesis, extraction, isolation of compounds with TLC identification, bioactivity determination and synthesis of plant components of interest in addition to the traditional pharmacognosy comprising cultivation, collection, morphology, microscopy, taxonomy, chemical constituents and uses of drugs of natural origin. A special feature of the book is an additional advantage, that of inclusion of marketed products of the drugs described. The book is designed to have 35 chapters divided into 10 parts (A to J). Each chapter is written with the aim to give a reasonable background to academician and researchers in the respective topic. A special miscellaneous chapter has been devoted to provide information about ayurvedic, marine medicinal plants, neutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals as well as herbs that have proved to be pesticides or allergens or producing colours, dyes and hallucinogenic effects. The objective of the authors is fully achieved by systemic assemblage of the well-written chapters with neat and clean well-labelled diagrams wherever necessary. The authors convey the deep sense of gratitude to their grandparents, parents, spouses and children for motivating them to provide a kind of book badly required collectively for undergraduate, postgraduate and researchers at one place. This is an added advantage the book will give to the readers of any walk of life. Doubtless, authors are indebted to all who have supported in giving this present shape to the book. Last but not the least, authors are immensely thankful to our publisher for their support, guidance and cooperation to publish this book. Suggestions and criticisms will always be solicited by the authors to further improve the quality of the book in real sense.

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