Page 4 - Medicinal Plants_PharmD general

Life on the planet earth is dependent on a variety of treasures which
are provided by nature. Natural products derived from plants continue to
be used worldwide for the treatment of diseases proving the indispensable
relationship between humans and their environment where Mother Nature
acts as a medicine cabinet.

Definition of crude drugs and medicinal plants

Crude means natural product that has not been advanced in value or
improved in condition. Crude drugs are natural products of vegetable,
animal or mineral origin that have undergone no processes other than
collection and drying. 99% of crude drugs are derived from vegetable
origin, few are derived from mineral or animal origin. Medicinal plants
may be defined as those plants that are commonly used to either
prevent, cure or lessen symptoms from an illness/disease. Medicinal
plants have some actions similar to conventional pharmaceutical drugs that
are produced in a laboratory. Medicinal plants possess therapeutic
properties or exert beneficial pharamacological effects on the human body.
Typically, pharmaceutical drugs are modelled after compounds found in
medicinal plants while phytopharmaceuticals are herbal medicines whose
efficacy depends on one or several plant active ingredients.

History of medicinal plants

Plants have been used as spices and medicines since prehistoric
times. From the earliest times, man had to distinguish between edible and
poisonous plants. Man has used the plants in treatment of diseases and
gradually developed knowledge of plants and their traditional use which
was transmitted orally through herbalist and later in the written forms e.g.
papyri and manuscript herbals. One of the most complete medical
documents dating back to the ancient Egyptians is the Ebers Papyrus (1550

-4-