Medicinal Orchids
Avinash Negi, Kritika Chauhan, Hom Prasad Adhikari, Azamal Husen, Manu Pant
Abstract
The family Orchidaceae is acknowledged as the second-largest family among the angiosperms. Orchids possess’ great ornamental utility due to the exquisite beauty of their flower. Their diversity is remarkable, spanning an incredible range of variations in shape, color, and size of flowers. Commencing with their primary cultivation for ornamental purposes, many species of orchids also exhibit multifaceted roles in serving as herbal medicines, sources of food, and cultural symbols for many tribes across the globe. Studies have reported the isolation of a wide range of phytochemicals from various genera of orchids, such as flavonoids, alkaloids, anthocyanin, orchinol, etc. Since ancient times, orchids have been employed in the therapeutic management of various diseases. While the orchids are being widely valued for commercial usage, several medicinally important orchid species are facing the issues of habitat loss and unscientific cultivation practices. This chapter highlights the medicinal significance of different orchid species, their chemical compositions, and their alternative uses.