Medicinal plants: Potential to fight superiority diseases

Laxmipriya Padhi

Abstract


Since the beginning of human civilization, medicinal plants have been used by mankind for its therapeutic value. The history of medicine and pharmacy begins with Hippocrates, the father of medicine. He mentioned nearly 400 plant samples used as medicinal substances. In earlier times some plants were venerated because they were known to have valuable properties. No one sought to discover how or why they had this power; it was an undisputed fact and seemed to border on magic. Presently one third of all pharmaceuticals are of plant origin. It is estimated that one in seven of all existing plant has medicinal or curative power, but only if carefully chosen and properly prepared. Scientific analysis of medicinal plants has led to the discovery of many important modern drugs and some experts believe that plants may well hold the secret to combat superiority diseases. Recently the constituents of medicinal plants have gained importance in the treatment of AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis. At present, use of plants are the inspirations for a new drug discovery, whichever by combination of novel compounds or substances for healing diseases. Innovative study is required for evaluating plants from the traditional system of medicine, endow with us with clues as to how these plants can be used in the treatment of diseases with suitable experiments. This review offers information’s on use of plants based drugs in modern medicine. Additional it describes the significance of medicinal plants in infectious and superiority diseases.

Keywords


Medicinal plants; Traditional knowledge; Infectious diseases; Antibiotic resistance

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References


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