Q.Differentiate bio-medicines and botanical medicines.

India's medicinal plants underpin every institutional system of medicine practised here, yet around 90% of the material used is still gathered from the wild rather than cultivated, straining natural populations even as demand grows; molecules marketed as drugs are called Biomedicines, while less-processed plant material sold as powders is called Botanical medicine. Keezhanelli (Phyllanthus amarus), via its active compound phyllanthin, is Tamil Nadu's standard hepatoprotective remedy for jaundice, and University of Madras research proved its extract is effective against hepatitis B. Adathodai (Justicia adhatoda), via vasicine, treats bronchial disorders such as cough, cold and asthma. Nilavembu (Andrographis paniculata), the 'King of Bitters', is a potent liver-protective herb via its andrographolide compounds, and combined with eight other herbs (Nilavembu Kudineer) is a well-known Tamil remedy for malar …