Biologically Active Compounds from Medicinal Aromatic Plants: Herbicides, Insecticides, Fungicides, and Pharmaceuticals

There are many agricultural systems in today’s world, among which organic agriculture forms the basis of healthy production of nutrition to feed the human populations. On the other hand, conventional agriculture, which is mostly carried out to feed the increasing population, has been shown to cause health problems. That is why organic agriculture has become prominent. However, the biggest problem related to organic agriculture is the fight against several plant diseases and pests. The use of biological agents in this fight and the extension of research on this topic have become crucial. Employing medicinal aromatic plants in order to naturally and easily counteract the effects of pests and diseases has come into prominence. The bioactive compounds in medicinal aromatic plants have been shown to eliminate bacteria, fungi, and pests. The extracts obtained from such plants via different ways or the plants themselves can be used as pesticides, fungicides, or herbicides in organic agriculture. The extracts of these plants are also essential materials for the pharmaceutical industry. This study aimed to review the medicinal aromatic plants, their classification upon area of usage, and the use of their extracts in organic agriculture.