Medicinal Plants and Their Clinical Uses

Plants have been utilized medicinally for centuries and continue to be a source of many well-known treatments today. They are an essential component of our healthcare system as they heal variety of diseases. These plants possess therapeutic characteristics in one or more of their organs. They are not distinguishable from other plants by morphological traits other than their pharmacological effects and the presence of medicinal ingredients. Most plants synthesize a wide variety of bioactive chemical substances through metabolism. Bioactive substances are secondary plant metabolites that cause pharmacological or toxicological effects on humans and animals. Phytochemicals such as alkaloids, terpenoids, glycosides, and phenols have various pharmacological properties such as antibacterial, anticancer, antiviral, antimalarial, diuretic, and antioxidants. These plants are becoming more widely used across the world. Medicinal plants have played an important part in sustainable human health management, leading to an increase in interest in alternative medicines.