The series of books on the biotechnology of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants provides a survey of the literature, focusing on recent information and the state of the art in tissue culture and the in vitro production of secondary metabolites. This book, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants VII, like the previous six volumes published in 1988, 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1994, is unique in its approach. It comprises 28 chapters dealing with the distribu- tion, importance, conventional propagation, micro propagation, tissue culture studies, and the in vitro production of important medicinal and pharmaceutical compounds in various species of Aesculus, Althaea, Baptisia, Berberis, Beta, Bowiea, Camp to theca, Chrysanthellum, Citrus, Claviceps, Coleonema, Dianthus, Dunaliella, Epimedium, Euphorbia, Forsythia, Gomphrena, Larix, Lobelia, Medicago, Papaver, Phytolacca, Pueraria, Santalum, Santolina, Sapium, Tabebuia, and Tripterygium. This book is tailored to the needs of advanced students, teachers, and research scientists in the field of pharmacy, plant tissue culture, phytochemistry, biochemical engineering, and plant biotechnology in general. New Delhi, July 1994 Professor Y. P. S. BAJAJ Series Editor Contents I Aesculus hippocastanum L. (Horse Chestnut): In Vitro Culture and Production of Aescin P. GASTALDO, A. M. CAVIGLIA, and P. PROFUMO (With 7 Figures) 1 General Account ...1 ...2 In Vitro Culture Studies ...4 3 Summary and Conclusions ...10 4 Protocol...11 References ...11 II Althaea officinalis L. (Marshmallow): In Vitro Culture and the Production of Biologically Active Compounds I. IONKovA and A. W. ALFERMANN (With 10 Figures) 1 General Account...13 ...2 Biotechnological Approaches...21 .