![]() ![]() According to WHO, around 21,000 plant species have the potential for being used as medicinal plants.Īs per data available over three-quarters of the world population relies mainly on plants and plant extracts for their health care needs. Recently, WHO (World Health Organization) estimated that 80 percent of people worldwide rely on herbal medicines for some aspect of their primary health care needs. Among these systems, Ayurveda and Unani Medicine are most developed and widely practised in India. Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Folk (tribal) medicines are the major systems of indigenous medicines. About 8,000 herbal remedies have been codified in AYUSH systems in INDIA. The forest in India is the principal repository of large number of medicinal and aromatic plants, which are largely collected as raw materials for manufacture of drugs and perfumery products. Population rise, inadequate supply of drugs, prohibitive cost of treatments, side effects of several synthetic drugs and development of resistance to currently used drugs for infectious diseases have led to increased emphasis on the use of plant materials as a source of medicines for a wide variety of human ailments.Īmong ancient civilisations, India has been known to be rich repository of medicinal plants. Traditional systems of medicine continue to be widely practised on many accounts. Indigenous cultures such as Rome, Egypt, Iran, Africa and America used herbs in their healing rituals, while other developed traditional medical systems such as Unani, Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine in which herbal therapies were used systematically. Evidence exist that Unani Hakims, Indian Vaids and European and Mediterranean cultures were using herbs for over 4000 years as medicine. ![]() Ancient Unani manuscripts Egyptian papyrus and Chinese writings described the use of herbs. Plants have been used for medicinal purposes long before prehistoric period. These medicinal plants are also used as food, flavonoid, medicine or perfume and also in certain spiritual activities. Earlier, the term “herb” was only applied to non-woody plants, including those that come from trees and shrubs. Now a days, herb refers to any part of the plant like fruit, seed, stem, bark, flower, leaf, stigma or a root, as well as a non-woody plant. The word “ herb” has been derived from the Latin word, “herba” and an old French word “herbe”. It is the use of plants for medicinal purposes, and the study of such uses. The term “ medicinal plant” include various types of plants used in herbalism ("herbology" or "herbal medicine"). Introduction and Importance of Medicinal Plants and Herbs ![]()
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