Research Needs of Medicinal Plants Used in the Management and Treatment of Some Diseases Caused by Microorganisms

An increasing number of people around the world rely on herbal medicine to manage or treat medical problems caused by microorganisms, either directly or indirectly. Microbial infections may lead to an overabundance or the presence of microorganisms in certain parts of the body culminating in diverse medical problems. The use of herbal medicine to cure and manage these microbial diseases requires a certain amount of training (formal or informal) for efficiency and success. Improper composition of herbal mixtures may end up containing microbes like Staphylococcus species, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and others that can exacerbate the initial illness. The training and practice rely heavily on available plant resources of the locale as well as local knowledge and cultural practices and the indigenous people. The bioactive substances found in medicinal plants have been linked to their therapeutic and microbial load reduction or eliminating effects. Depending on their species, regional distribution, and prevailing environmental conditions, different metabolites are known to be present in plants. Most diseases brought on by microorganisms may be grouped into one of four categories: bacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungi. Some of the common diseases that are treatable by plant extracts or herbal medicine include malaria, trichomoniasis, fascioliasis, helminthiasis, ascariasis, trichinellosis, dracunculiasis, gonorrhoea, syphilis, cholera, tuberculosis, pneumonia, food poisoning, tooth decay and gingival inflammation, typhoid fever, salmonellosis, skin infections, blood poisoning, and urinary tract infections (bacteria). Some of the causative agents are resistant to conventional antibiotics from modern medicine like methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans, and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus species. These microorganisms and the disease they cause are easily treated with plant extracts or herbal remedies. However, there is a need for research to focus on the identification, isolation, and purification of bioactive compounds in plant extracts and herbal remedies to encourage sustainable utilization and production in commercial quantities. Furthermore, the procedures involved in the investigation of raw resources, the production of herbal treatments, branding, and marketing, as well as sustainable utilization, need to be standardized and most importantly, require aseptic techniques to minimize microbial contamination of the raw materials and finished products.