Phytochemistry

Chemical compounds produced by plants — including alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenes, glycosides, and phenolics — are the subject of phytochemistry, which examines their biosynthetic pathways, pharmacological properties, and role in traditional medicine systems such as Ayurveda and Siddha. It connects to drug discovery, nutraceuticals, and biopiracy concerns under the Biological Diversity Act, 2002 and the TRIPS Agreement. Relevance extends to intellectual property rights involving plant-based patents and the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library, linking biodiversity conservation policy with biotechnology and IPR frameworks.