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Introduction

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Medicinal Orchids of Asia

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Abstract

The fast pace of modernisation in China and India has created an interphase between science and traditional knowledge. In this rush for progress, traditional knowledge that is orally transmitted between select members of families and tribes is rapidly disappearing. Herbal knowledge is an integral part of this tradition; therefore, it is an objective of this book to document whatever such knowledge the author can find. Herbs are a major primary source of medicines in use today, so it is natural that plants would continue to be analysed in the hope of finding new compounds that may help in the treatment of conditions associated with ageing, such as physical decline, sexual dysfunction, dementia, osteoporosis, skin changes, metabolic disorders, strokes and cancer. New drugs are also required to fight infections and prevent chemical and anoxic damage to organs. Before the 1970s, apart from the study of alkaloids, attention was not paid to orchids as a source of new phytochemicals. That has now changed dramatically, and every month new discoveries are announced. The pharmacological effects of extracts or compounds from various orchids are another area of study. Summaries of these findings are collected in this book and, wherever possible, an effort is made to explain the significance of such discoveries in the treatment of disease.

Nevertheless, the studies are still in their infancy. Many animal and human studies need to be conducted before it is possible to conclude whether any orchid or its chemical(s) can be included in the modern pharmaceutical armamentarium. The author therefore maintains an open mind, but does not currently endorse the use of any orchid in the treatment of disease. From the modern medical perspective, they should first be studied in clinical trial settings.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Singapore, Singapore

    Eng Soon Teoh M.D., F.R.C.O.G., F.A.C.S.

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  1. Eng Soon Teoh M.D., F.R.C.O.G., F.A.C.S.
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Teoh, E.S. (2016). Introduction. In: Medicinal Orchids of Asia. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-24274-3_1

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