Psychoactive Medicinal Plants and Fungal Neurotoxins

This book provides a clear and comprehensive overview of psychoactive medicinal plants, explaining in detail the species that are most commonly used in medicine, and describing their mechanism of action, the implicated toxin, clinical manifestation and therapeutic role. It explores the recent research in the area of psychoactive medicinal plants and fungal neurotoxins, and presents the various biochemical pathways involved and the bioactive targets. The book also discusses the current literature in the field, including the latest methodology used to identify the active compounds, their pharmacological and physiological properties along with their clinical efficacy. Compiling the most up to date information on major psychoactive medicinal plants and fungal neurotoxins, the book covers all major classes of psychoactive drugs, including stimulants, cognitive enhancers, sedatives and anxiolytics, psychotherapeutic herbs, analgesics and anesthetic plants, hallucinogens and cannabis.

Dr.Amritpal Singh Saryya is currently a Reader at the Department of Dravyaguna, Sri Dhanwantry Ayurvedic College, Chandigarh. He completed his Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (B.A.M.S) at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar.  An intern from the prestigious Government Ayurvedic Dispensary, Mohali, he completed his M.D in Dravyaguna Vigyana from BRA Bihar University, Muzzafarpur and his MSc in Medicinal Plants at the Global University, Nagaland. He has published numerous research papers in respected, peer-reviewed natural & Ayurvedic medicine journals. He has also participated in various national and international seminars/conferences and poster presentations. He is an active member of various societies, including the Asian Council of Scientific Editors, Indian Society of Chemists and Biologists and the Science Advisory Board, U.K. and many more. He received the Outstanding Scientist Award, 2019 from the VGGOOD, Visakhapatnam, India. 

Dr. Jaswinder Singh completed his MBBS degree at the Government Medical College, Amritsar in 1995, and his MD (Pharmacology) at the Government Medical College, Patiala in 2001. He has worked in various posts at a number of institutions, including Nepalgunj Medical College, Nepalgunj, and the Government Medical College, Chandigarh. Currently, he is a Professor at the Department of Pharmacology at Sri Guru Ram Das Institute of Medical Research, Amritsar, where he is also a member of the Pharmacovigilance Committee. He has more than 15 years of teaching experience, and teaches MD (Pharmacology) MBBS, BDS, BSc (nursing students) courses. He has published more than 27 research articles in various national & international journals. He also serves as an editorial board member for two journals