Book excerpt: Most therapeutics available today are highly toxic, very expensive and exhibit minimum efficacy. The issue of toxicity is even more critical for prevention than for therapy because the former involves normal subjects. Thus, therapeutics that are safe and affordable are needed for both prevention and therapy. Spices of Southeast Asian origin, once employed for taste, appearance and preservation of food, now appear to have therapeutic value for humans. What the active principles in these spices are and how they mediate their effect against various diseases are beginning to emerge from extensive research carried out within the last half-century. The current monograph is an attempt to address the active constituents, their molecular targets and the therapeutic uses of these spices.