A knowledge of the biological activities and/or chemical constituents of plants is desirable not only for the discovery of therapeutic agents, but also because such information may be of value in disclosing new sources of economic materials including tannins, oils, gums, and precursors for the synthesis of complex chemical substances. In addition, a knowledge of the chemical constituents of plants would be of assistance in deciphering the actual value of folkloric remedies. To scientists interested in the chemistry and pharmacology of plant products, a knowledge of the uses of local plants by indigenous population can often be used as a guide for the further investigation of plant species. In many countries, these facts have been collected and published. Several plants belonging to different genera and families synthesize diverse products such as sesquiterpene lactones, steroids, saponins, alkaloids, cyanogenic glucosides, aromatic terpenes and amines. Many of these natural products have been used by native peoples as medicines, foodstuff flavors, dyes, and fish and arrow poisons. Also, many of the wild plants are used as food and feed. There are many important achievements concerning the isolation of active principles from a number of plant sources which had long been known for their medicinal properties. The Flora of Egypt Checklist, revised annotated edition, by Prof. Loutfy Boulos, published in 2009 includes 2145 species and 220 infraspecific taxa of native and naturalized vascular plants. Cultivated plants are excluded with the exception of 44 cultivated species of grasses (Gramineae) and four cultivated onions (Allium, Alliaceae). The number of families, mentioned in the Checklist is 129, including 755 genera. Though there are several publications of many of these plants, yet there are still a lot of unstudied species. There are some of these plants which are well known in folk medicine, and even some are involved in the drug industry. There are some sporadic efforts on documenting the publications of some selected plants. So far, there is no reference book dealing with the chemical constituents, folk medicine, pharmacological and biological activities, as well other uses of all the studied species. This book (Volume 1) represents the first stage of a project which deals with all these topics of all studied species. It covers all the published works of plant species of nine families. The book covers all the available information on the chemical constituents, folk medicine, pharmacological and biological activities of the plants belonging to nine families (Acanthaceae, Actinopteridaceae, Adiantaceae, Aizoaceae, Alismataceae, Alliaceae, Amaranthaceae, Amaryllidaceae and xiii Anacardiaceae) until early 2013, with references exceeding 3800 titles. The main part of the book is concerned with the chemical constituents found in the Egyptian species as well as their medicinal uses. The book is organized in nine chapters; each chapter deals with a single family. Each chapter starts with the characteristic constituents (steroids, terpenoids, quinones, alkaloids, iridoid glycosides, phenolic acids, etc.), with more than 1100 structures, followed by folk medicine, pharmacological and biological activities of plants of the concerned family and subdivided into genera and species in alphabetical order. Brief reviews of the families as well as the genera which are represented by species in Egypt were given. Many of the data are tabulated to facilitate its use. In general, the book contains information about more than 1200 species, belonging to the nine mentioned families. Based on detailed literature data, the structures and biological activities of the isolated natural products are surveyed. Other plants that have not yet been investigated are also mentioned, but from the literature and early findings of the related species, may be found to be of value as medicinal or useful plants. It is hoped that the book will serve as a valuable reference work for phytochemists, pharmacognosists, chemotaxonomists, pharmacologists, toxicologists, ethnobotanists, and others concerned with the plants of the Middle East and their chemical constituents.

The fact that the plants growing in Egypt and mentioned in this volume are recorded in many other countries (particularly Arab countries) extends its use in other parts of the world. The book has three appendices: Appendix 1, supplying the molecular structure of some compounds of common occurrence viz. terpenoids, steroids, flavonoids, coumarins and organic acids, in addition to amino acids, sugars and fatty acids. Appendix 2 is a “Glossary” of medical terms and Appendix 3 contains the common names of the species. The book is also available in the following six separate parts:
1. Families Acanthaceae and Actiniopteridaceae
2. Families Adiantaceae, Aizoaceae and Alismataceae
3. Family Alliaceae
4. Family Amaranthaceae
5. Family Amaryllidaceae
6. Family Anacardiaceae

Enam M. Abou Zeid
Assistant Researcher
Department of Pharmacognosy
National Research Centre
Egypt

Fahem A. Ahmed Lecturer
Department of Pharmacognosy
College of Pharmacy
Misr University for Science & Technology
Egypt

Asmaa A. Amer
Researcher of Pharmacognosy
Department of Pharmacognosy
National Research Centre
Egypt

Nagwa M. Ammar
Professor of Pharmacognosy
Department of Pharmacognosy
National Research Centre
Egypt

Mohamed M. Ayoub
Researcher of Pharmacognosy
Department of Pharmacognosy
National Research Centre
Egypt

Ibrahim A. El Garf
Professor
Department of Botany and Microbiology
Faculty of Science
Cairo University
Egypt

Husseiny A. H. Elgendi
Associate Professor
Department of Pharmacognosy
College of Pharmacy
Misr University for Science & Technology
Egypt