Traditional Medicinal Plants and Their Ethnomedicinal Values

The use of traditional medicinal herbs relies on the indigenous knowledge, skills, customs, and beliefs of different cultures to uphold general wellness and prevent and treat ailments. Despite the development of modern medical facilities and the expansion of the healthcare system, a sizeable portion of the population from developing countries seeks out traditional medicines for various physical and mental health problems. Over the last few decades, a growing belief in traditional medicine, which has fewer side effects than allopathic medicine, has led to a resurgence of interest in medicinal plants. The WHO (World Health Organization) has also acknowledged the values and utility of medicinal plants from an ethnomedical perspective. The phytoconstituents in plants make them viable candidates for commercial manufacturing, and thus the majority of medicines prescribed globally are derived from plants. Surprisingly, for affordability and availability, herbs are still frequently chosen over pharmaceuticals in the healthcare system of most of the Asian countries including India. Herbal treatments have a long history in India, where they are important aspects of the regional indigenous traditions. Scientific evidence, however, has validated the traditional uses of several herbs as medicines for treating serious health problems including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders, ensuring their patient-friendly attributes and therapeutic potential. Since ethnomedicinal research is crucial for the discovery of novel medications from indigenous medicinal plants, it serves as the cornerstone of the pharmaceutical industry. But as a result of several factors related to urbanization and globalization, ethnomedicinal expertise has been slowly vanishing. To restore the virtues of ethnomedicine for the welfare of human society, it is therefore necessary to investigate, identify, and record traditional medicinal herbs. The current chapter intends to emphasize the ethnomedicinal advantages of medicinal plant resources and to grasp the prospects and challenges for the development of a promising base on plant-based therapies.