Medicinal & Aromatic Plants
Open Access

Cereal Open Access Journals

Medicinal & Aromatic Plants (MAPs) are botanical raw materials, also known as herbal drugs, that are primarily used for therapeutic, aromatic and/or culinary purposes as components of cosmetics, medicinal products, health foods and other natural health products. Aromatic plants are a special kind of plants used for their aroma and flavour. Many of them are also used for medicinal purposes. Aromatic plants are from a numerically large group of economically important plants. ... Aromatic compounds are present in plants i.e. in root, wood, bark, foliage, flower, fruit, seed etc. Medicinal & Aromatic Plants (MAPs) are botanical raw materials, also known as herbal drugs, that are primarily used for therapeutic, aromatic and/or culinary purposes as components of cosmetics, medicinal products, health foods and other natural health products. They are also the starting materials for value-added processed natural ingredients such as essential oils, dry and liquid extracts and oleoresins. There is a clear industrial demand for MAPs thanks to the increased production of herbal health care formulations; herbal based cosmetic products and herbal nutritional supplements. In addition, traditional health care practitioners, traditional healers and consumption at the household level have all contributed to the demand for herbal medicinal products. Finished products made from medicinal and aromatic plants are increasingly prescribed and bought over the counter.