Austin, TX— Founder and CEO of the nonprofit American Botanical Council (ABC), Mark Blumenthal, has been presented with the Outstanding International Ethnopharmacologist Award 2017 by the Society for Ethnopharmacology-India (SFE-India). Blumenthal received his award at the society’s annual scientific conference in Surat, Gujarat, India, on February 23rd.
Ethnopharmacology, a branch of ethnobotany and pharmacology, is focused on the traditional knowledge concerning substances of plant origins and their medicinal uses. Blumenthal has decades of experience in this field and has been involved in research, publishing, quality control, regulation, market dynamics, and medicinal plant education. Blumenthal is also the senior editor of three reference books on medical plants, co-editor of two additional reference books, and editor-in-chief of HerbClip, ABC’s series of summaries and reviews of studies made on medicinal plants.
"I am deeply honored and grateful to receive this award that recognizes the international impact of the educational efforts of the American Botanical Council," said Blumenthal during his award acceptance.
In addition to his research and editorial involvement, Blumenthal has also been active in the international herb community in quality control and education on adulteration and fraud in botanical raw materials and extracts.
"Medicinal plant research and quality control are international; they are not limited by political borders," Blumenthal continued in his acceptance. "Scientists share their information globally for the highest benefit to all humankind, and I am pleased that ABC's educational publications and programs are valued by our professional colleagues in India, a country with a rich history and tradition of medicinal plant use and robust modern scientific research."
The provider of the award, SFE-India, provides knowledge and information promoting ethnopharmacology and medical plants.
