Book excerpt: Many herbs and spices, in addition to their culinary use for taste, contain chemical compounds which have medicinal uses. For this reason, herbs and spices have been used for treating various ailments since ancient times. Modern scientific methods have enabled researchers to isolate and analyze bioactive compounds from herbs and spices to develop medicines for different diseases. Science of Spices and Culinary Herbs presents current reviews on studies performed on herbs and spices. This book series is an informative resource for medicinal chemists, herbalists and biomedical researchers interested in the science of natural herbs and spices that are a common part of regional diets and folk medicine. The sixth volume of this series features reviews on medicinal aspects of a selection of herbs and spices, including: Pimpinella anisum L. (Anise, Aniseed) Sinapis alba L. (Mustard Seeds) Cinnamomum verum (Cinnamon) Tamarindus indica L (Tamarind) Curcuma longa (Curcumin) Glycyrrhiza glabra (Licorice).