VIJAYAWADA: Head of department of Pharmacology, Sri Ramachandra University, professor Uma Maheswara Reddy said that phytochemicals have preventive and curative properties, as it is the composition of varied chemical substances. The valedictory function of the two-day national seminar, which was held on ‘Recent trends in phytochemical and plant biology research’, was organised by the department of botany, PB Siddhartha College of Arts and Science at KVSR Siddhartha College of Pharmaceutical Sciences Saturday. Speaking on the occasion, professor Rao said that there were numerous ongoing studies to discover potent of herbal drugs and explained the latest developments of herbal medicines in curing various diseases.