Agro's Colour Atlas of Medicinal Plants

Around 5000 years before the Indian System of Medicine has given the message of Sarve santu niramayah. It shows the broad vision of our sages since ancient time. The Traditional Medicine is practiced in virtually all countries of who"s South-East Asia Region. Even in smaller countries such as Bhutan and Maldives, the science and the art of traditional medicine has been practised through the ages. Traditional Medicine practitioners in the Region have provided valuable health care and have evolved with time. The recently published WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy has addressed these issues and provides a comprehensive framework for countries to develop their traditional medicine sector. The strategy advocates the formulation of a policy by the state as the first component of developing traditional medicine. At present India is one of the few countries developing such a policy and it is a logical and welcome outcome of the centuries of traditional medicine in the country. Medicinal plants and Ayurveda are popularizing globally. The Ayurvedic dietetics and life style requires to be propagated for physical and mental well-being. In ancient days the villagers had good knowledge of healthy life style and dietetics in different seasons and common remedies. The grand mothers were passing this knowledge from generation to generation. To make Ayurveda more acceptable in various parts of the world, enrichment of tills science by philosophical and spiritual dimensions of the related region will also be supportive. Recent advances In science and technology can"t be ignored and there is a need to utilize this knowledge to enrich the ancient science of life- Ayurveda which can be supported by the available scientific parameters. The action of the drug evaluated on dosha and dushya can also be substantiated with bio-chemical parameters. Medicinal plants are of the importance need research for tackling old and new problems emerging day by day.