Abstract

ADULTERANTS AND SUBSTITUTES FOR HERBAL PLANTS IN SIDDHA SYSTEM OF MEDICINE

Dr. D. S. Vaniswari, *Dr. K. Shyamala and Dr. K. Sivaranjani

ABSTRACT

The world is endowed with the richest wealth of medicinally active plants. The Human body is much better suited for the treatment with medicinally active plants (Herbal remedies) than with isolated chemical constituents. The Physiology and digestive system of Human Beings have evolved side by side utility of medicinally active plants for more than ten thousand years. In India, about 80% of the rural population depends on Medicinally Active Plants for primary health care. Fraud and adulteration in use of medicinally active plants is considered as an intentional or careless addition of foreign substance and plant products to increase the weight of the product or to decrease its cost. In this present article, an attempt has been made to document the list of adulterants of medicinally active plants that are available in the market.

Keywords: Medicinally active plants, intentional or careless adulterants, Substitution, Siddha.