Nanoencapsulated plant essential oils as a shelf-life enhancer for herbal raw materials

Herbal raw materials have been widely utilized around the world since antiquity, especially for primary health care. They have been acknowledged for their superior therapeutic value over contemporary medications. The diverse indigenous systems of medicine in India such as Siddha, Ayurveda, Unani, and Allopathy employ many herbal formulations to cure different types of diseases. Herbal raw materials are important as traditional remedies and as trade commodities that satisfy the needs of far-flung markets. During postharvest storage, the raw materials of herbal drugs are prone to contamination by different microorganisms and their associated toxic chemicals that deteriorate the active principles of drugs and make them unsafe for consumption. Nanoencapsulated plant essential oils (EOs) could be used as a green preservative agent for herbal raw materials against the microbes and their associated toxins. The present chapter deals with the therapeutic efficacy of herbal raw materials, possible toxic contaminants, and their management by using nanoencapsulated plant EOs. In addition, it also highlights the current challenges and future perspectives that lie in the use of herbal raw materials in the global market.