Hippophae sp.: A Boon for High-Altitude Maladies

Abstract Plants, in contrast to human beings are incomparable adapters when faced with survival under harsh environmental conditions. It is usually believed that plants dwelling at a particular habitat produce secondary metabolites that enable their existence under prevalent environmental adversities. Hippophae is one such exemplary herbal plant species of high-altitude regions. Once considered a weed, it has now proven to have a repertoire of active constituents with therapeutic properties, beneficial in alleviating several medical complications, including high-altitude maladies. This chapter focuses on wide range of medicinal applications offered by the Hippophae species, particularly, Hippophae rhamnoides and also highlights their suitability to overcome high-altitude illness. H. rhamnoides is considered to be the most enriched among all the Hippophae species in terms of numerous significant metabolites that endorse its various nutritional and pharmacological activities and, therefore, it is a highly regarded herbal plant among researchers.