The range of medicinal herbs and spices 121
7.4 Future trends...................................................................................
Medicinal herbs and spices have been important to human life for thousands of years.
In the past decade, there has been a considerable surge of interest in medicinal herbs
and spices and their derived products for a variety of functions for human health. The
herbal industry is now estimated at more than US$10 billion dollars and is increasing
at a rate of three to four percent annually.
The largest markets are in Europe and Asia. The North American market continues
to be supplied by imports, although the United States and Canada have become more
active in the international marketplace recently. Herb and spice production has more
than quadrupled since 1991. To meet the surging demand, more scientific evaluation
and research, proper regulation, quality control and education for the general public,
herbal practitioners, and retailers are important to make this fragile industry both
credible and sustainable.
7.5 Sources of further information......................................................
Baranska, M. Schulz, H. Rosch, P. Strehle, M. S. and Popp, J. 2004. Idientification
of secondary metabolites in medicinal and spice plants by NIR-FT-Raman
microspectroscopic mapping. Analyst. 129, 926–930.Duke, J. 2002. CRC Handbook of Medicinal Spices. CRC Press. Boca Raton, FL.
360 p.
Hill, T. 2004. The contemporary encyclopedia of herbs & spices. John Wiley & Sons
Inc. New York, NY. 432 p.
Jellin, J. M. 2003. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 5th edn, Therapeutic
Research Faculty. Stockton, CA. 2071 p.
Simon, J. E. 1990. Essential Oils and Culinary Herbs. In: Janick, J. and J. E. Simon
(eds) Advances in New Crops. Timber Press, Portland, OR. p. 472–83.
Sovljanski, R. Lazic, S. Kisgeci, J. Obradovic, S. and Macko, V. 1989. Heavy metal
contents in medicinal and spice plants treated with pesticide during the vegetation.
ISHS Acta Horticulturae 249: International symposium on heavy metals and pesticide
residues in medicinal, aromatic and spice plants. p. 51–6.Vladimirescu, A. 1993. The spice book. John Wiley & Sons Inc. New York, NY.
432 p.
Worwood, V. A. 1991. The complete book of essential oils and aromatherapy. Macmillan
London Ltd. UK. 435 p.
http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/financial/agribus/ccg02so1.html
http:/www.agr.gov.sk.ca/docs/processing/herbs_and_spices/Herbs_and_Spices.asp.html
For books and scientific journals see references.
7.6 References.......................................................................................
- DUKE, J. A. 1985. CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, FL.
677 p. - BALANDRIN, M. F. and KLOCKE, J. A. 1988. Medicinal, aromatic, and industrial materials from
plants. In: Bajaj, Y. P. S. (ed.) Biotechnology in Agriculture and Forestry 4. Medicinal and
aromativ plants I. Springer-Verlag Co. New York, NY. p. 3–36.