Work

The Value of Plants Used in Traditional Medicine for Drug Discovery

Year: 2001

Type: article

Abstract: In this review we describe and discuss several approaches to selecting higher plants as candidates for drug development with the greatest possibility of success. We emphasize the role of information derived from various systems of traditional medicine (ethnomedicine) and its utility for drug discovery purposes. We have identified 122 compounds of defined structure, obtained from only 94 species of plants, that are used globally as drugs and demonstrate that 80% of these have had an ethnomedical use identical or related to the current use of the active elements of the plant. We identify and discuss advantages and disadvantages of using plants as starting points for drug development, specifically those used in traditional medicine.

Source: Environmental Health Perspectives

DOI: 10.1289/ehp.01109s169

Authors: D S Fabricant, N R Farnsworth

Institution: University of Illinois Chicago

Language: English

Topic: Ethnobotanical and Medicinal Plants Studies

Subfield: Plant Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $4,500