Ocimum sanctum (L.), more frequently referred to as Tulsi, is a treasured medicinal plant which has been used for hundreds of years in Ayurvedic and indigenous medications. Not only in Ayurveda and Siddha, but additionally in Greek, Roman, and Unani medicine, this herb has been attributed with various scientific benefits. In South Asia, it is typically used as a medicinal plant and natural tea. The significance of Ayurveda medicine, ethnopharmacology, geographical distribution, botanical description, Ayurvedic formulations, marketed formulations, present compounds, modern-day extraction methods, pharmacological profile, and medical investigations are all described in this chapter. Traditional Ayurvedic books, as well as Science-Direct, SciFinder, Web of Science, PubMed, Wiley Online Library, and ACS Publications on O. sanctum, have been used in the research. Nearly 60 chemical compounds have been observed in O. sanctum, such as phenolics, flavonoids, phenylpropanoids, terpenoids, fatty acid derivatives, essential oil, fixed oil, and steroids. However, rosmarinic acid is one of the the major phenylpropanoids, followed by luteolin, kaempferol, and rutin. According to the pharmacological research described here, O. sanctum can be utilized to deal with a vast variety of ailments. It has been established to be nontoxic and scientifically suitable for human fitness and well-being from historical times to the present. O. sanctum-based natural compositions have been offered as supplements, extracts, pills, and powders. This chapter aims to be a resource in the correlation of this accepted Ayurvedic herb's pharmacological activities and phytochemical profile.

Black pepper, Piper nigrum L. (P. nigrum), is renowned as the “king of spices” and is used as a seasoning and condiment all over the world. The bioactive compounds in P. nigrum can be used to inhibit and treat a variety of ailments. P. nigrum contains the alkaloid piperine, which is found in the fruit at levels between 5 and 13 percent and is also a well-known bioavailability booster. There are numerous phytoconstituents in this plant, including alkaloids, isobutyl amides, lignans, esters, and volatile oils, that have diverse pharmacological properties. Besides being an antiinflammatory and anticancer agent, piperine also has anti larvicidal, antipesticide, anti-Alzheimer and antidepressant properties. The present work critically evaluates P. nigrum concerning its ethnopharmacology, geographical distribution, botanical description, phytochemicals, clinical trials, Ayurvedic formulations, and marketed formulations. In addition, a wide range of extraction and isolation procedures for natural products also are discussed. This chapter will be helpful in correlating this well-known Ayurveda plant with modern science and marketed formulations.

Herbs have been used as sustenance and medicine for a very long time, often in conjunction with other prescribed medications. Even though they are thought to be natural and secure, many of these herbs can interact with other medications and cause potentially dangerous adverse effects or decrease the benefits of the medication. The complex and diverse pharmacological functions carried out by the active ingredients in herbs unavoidably alter the pharmacokinetics of chemical drugs when administered in vivo. Drug transporter expression has a direct impact on how medications are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted in living organisms. Changes in substrate pharmacokinetics can affect the effectiveness and toxicity of a drug when the active ingredients of a herb inhibit or stimulate the expression of transporters. By reviewing published clinical and preclinical studies, this review aims to raise awareness of herb-drug interactions and discuss their evidence-based mechanisms and clinical consequences. More clinical information on herb-drug interactions is required to make choices regarding patient safety as the incidence and severity of herb-drug interactions are rising due to an increase in the use of herbal preparations globally.This review seeks to increase understanding of herb-drug interactions and explore their evidence-based mechanisms and clinical implications by reviewing published clinical and preclinical studies. The incidence and severity of herb-drug interactions are on the rise due to an increase in the use of herbal preparations worldwide, necessitating the need for more clinical data on these interactions in order to make decisions regarding patient safety. Healthcare workers and patients will become more alert to potential interactions as their knowledge of pharmacokinetic herb-drug interactions grows. The study's objective is to raise readers' awareness of possible interactions between herbal supplements and prescription medications who regularly take them.