Nature, an expert craftsman of molecules, has generated extensive array of bioactive molecular entities. It persists as an inexhaustible resource for discovery of drugs and supplied enormous scaffold diversification for development into effectual drugs to treat multiple pathological conditions. Herbal medicine, also referred to as phytomedicine, has been used outside of conventional medicine since times immemorial. With the advent of technological advancements in the field of pharmaceutical research, herbal drugs are finding place in the mainstream, ranging from cosmetic application to cancer treatment. Present day scientists are better equipped to carry out phytochemical extraction, analysis, quality control, and pharmacological and toxicological evaluation. In view of the serious adverse effects associated with the use of synthetic drugs and growing concerns about microbial resistance to antibiotics, researchers are ardently exploring the botanical sources of active constituents for treating various diseases and disorders. Moreover, many herbal drug candidates with proven clinical efficacy and safety have been incorporated in novel drug delivery systems, including nanocarriers based formulations. In light of these facts, herbal drugs have opened new vistas for pharmaceutical scientists to expand their research, overcoming the lacunas pertinent to the use of synthetic therapeutic agents. The present thematic issue aims to cover the recent developments of scientific merit in the arena of herbal drugs and formulations, providing an insight into their current status in therapeutic pursuits.

Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

• Plants as sources of therapeutically active molecules against cancer
• Method development and validation of analytical technique for quantitative estimation of herbal compounds
• Herbal antimicrobial compounds as an alternative to synthetic antibiotics
• Quality control of herbal drugs/formulations
• Novel drug delivery systems for encapsulation of herbal actives
• Assessing the potential of small molecules of natural origin in emerging biological targets