Atta-ur-Rahman, Choudhary M.I., Yousuf S. Science of Spices and Culinary Herbs. Volume 4

Bentham Science Publishers, 2020. — 193 p.According to the World Health Organization, the overwhelming majority of people, both in the developed and developing world, rely on alternative and complementary medicines and botanicals for the prevention and treatment of diseases. The world market of botanicals already exceeds 100 billion USD with a CAGR of 21.7%, making it one of the fastest growing industries globally. With the importance of herbal products in health and economy, the field is receiving much attention from the scientific community, particularly concerning safety, efficacy, standardization, and method development toward regulatory compliance. Culinary herbs and spices have several added advantages over other non-dietary herbs. Since they are nontoxic, palatable, and culturally acceptable, they therefore occupy a high place in the global business of botanicals. These fascinating herbs are now used in all kinds of products, including nutraceuticals and health supplements. Personal care items, beverages, aromatherapy products, fragrances, or cosmetics are other fields in which they are commonly found. The key objective of this book series entitled “ Science of Spice & Culinary Herbs ” is to provide a comprehensive account of the most recent scientific research, earned on the most common spices and dietary herbs. The first three volumes of the book series have received immense appreciation and overwhelming interest. The 4th volume of the series contains five comprehensive review articles, covering scientific studies on pharmacological, clinical, and industrial uses of several common herbs and spices.The review by Boskabady et al is focused on recent studies on molecular and cellular aspects of the anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects of Curcuma longa, commonly known as turmeric. These studies firmly establish the therapeutic potential of this well-known spice against various diseases. Flax seeds ( Linum ustatissimum ) have attracted major scientific and general interest in recent years due to their omega-3 - 3 - fatty acid content and fiber contents which make them an attractive health food. Chandra et al have contributed a review of pharmacological and clinical studies on flax seeds in the context of their lipid-lowerinanti-oxidantanandnti - obesity properties as well as their role in the prevention of cancers, cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and gastrointestinal diseases. Mohi - ud - din et al have reviewed the pharmacological, clinical, and phytochemical studies carried out on the globally popular traditional spice Nigella sativa (black cumin) and its main phytoconstituent.thymoquinone, demonstrating its potential for the treatment of various diseases. The Article of Escobedo - Bonilla covers an interesting aspect of the usefulness of essential oils of Mexican oregano ( Lippia species ) as antimicrobial agents for the aquaculture industry, thus avoiding the use of synthetic antibiotics and biocidal compounds. The last article in the volume is centered around the pharmacological properties and medicinal benefits of curry leaf ( Murraya koenigii ). The authors (Mir et al ) have also provided details of various phytochemicals obtained from this flavoring herb used in South - Asian cuisines.