Horticulture International Journal
Mini Review Open Access
Medicinal plants and sustainable human health: a
review
Abstract Volume 2 Issue 4 - 2018
The significance of medicinal plants in sustainable human health cannot be overlooked.
Akinyemi O, Oyewole SO, Jimoh KA
These plants have healing/therapeutic properties in one or any of their organs. The Federal Ministry of Environment, Forestry Research Institute of
use of these plants is increasing worldwide. They are used in several conditions Nigeria, Nigeria
to augment and maintain human health. In sustainable human health management,
medicinal plants have played a vital role which has led to the growing interest in Correspondence: Oyewole SO, Federal Ministry of
alternative therapies and therapeutic use of plants. This is because; it is very cheap Environment, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Forest Hill,
in comparison to the synthetic industrial forms of medication. However, medicinal Jericho, Ibadan, Nigeria, Email
[email protected] plants are threatened as a result of human impact and uncontrolled wild collection; it is
therefore recommended that deliberate efforts towards domestication and cultivation Received: November 9, 2017 | Published: August 07, 2018
are essential for continuous supply of these plant species.
Keywords: medicinal plants, sustainable, human health
Introduction tannins, cryogenics, glycocides, terpeniods. These ingredients have
been used and found effective as sweeteners, anti-infections and
The importance of plants in traditional medicine and as raw materials anti-bacterials. For instance, the bark of Alstonia boonei contains
in pharmaceutical industries cannot therefore be overemphasized. alkaloids and achistamine, which are useful in the treatment of fever,
The use of herbs to treat diseases is almost universal among non- dizziness and high blood pressure. Ginger (Allium sativum) and Garlic
industrialized societies. A number of traditions came to dominate the (Zingiber officinale) are spicy addittions to food that has long been
practice of herbal medicine at the end of the twentieth century. Many used to maintain human health. It is not an exaggeration to say that
of the pharmaceuticals currently available to physicians have a long medicinal plants have a great role to play in sustainable human health.
history of use as herbal remedies, including opium, asprin, digitals
and quinine. The use of medicinal plants is increasing worldwide, Role of medicinal plants in sustainable human health
in view of the tremendous expansion of traditional medicine and a
Medicinal plants have been used as a source of drugs by mankind
growing interest in herbal treatments. Plants are used in medicine to
for several thousand years. In fact, ancient man was totally dependent
maintain and augment health-physically, mentally and spiritually as
on plants for his needs of treatment, prevention and other form of
well as to treat specific conditions and ailments.1 It has been found that
medicaments, thus, utilizing plants as drugs for millennia. Throughout
countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America use traditional medicine
the development of human culture, the use of medicinal plants has had
to help meet some of their primary health care needs. In Africa, for
magical-religious significance and different points of view regarding
example, up to 80 percent of the population uses traditional medicine
the concepts of health and disease which existed within each culture.
for primary health care. In industrialized countries, adaptation of
For the past 3000 years, a large number of plants are used in health care
traditional medicines is termed “complimentary??” or “alternative”
practices, such as in Traditional Medicine in China, India and Africa,
medicine. Traditional medicine has maintained its popularity in all
most of which contains therapeutic values which has been ascertained
regions or the developing world and its use is rapidly spreading in
as such by Western standards. Furthermore, several other plants have
industrialized countries. The global market for herbal medicines
been employed for centuries by several cultures which are less likely
currently stands at over US $80 billion annually and is growing
to be proven by western standards. The role of medicinal plants in
steadily.1 In Nigeria, Ghana, Mali and Zambia for example, the first
human health is clearly enormous. Out of the 252 drugs considered
line of treatment for 60% of children with high fever resulting from
as basic and essential by the World Health Organisation (WHO),
malaria is the use of herbal medicines at home. The plant kingdom
11% are exclusively of plant origin and a significant number are
contributes immensely to human health when no synthetic medicines
synthetic drugs obtained from natural precursors. Some of these drugs
were available and when no concepts of surgery existed. There is
obtained from plants include digoxin from Digitalis spp., quinine
therefore need to conserve these plants associated with indigenous
and quinidine from Cinchona spp., vincristrine and vinblastine from
knowledge for human development and good health. Synthetic drugs
Catharanthus roseus, atropine from Atropa belladonna and morphine
gained popularity against green remedies because their fast-acting
and codeine from Papaver omniferum. It is estimated that 60% of
effects, however, people have begun to realize the benefits associated
anti-tumour and anti-infectious drugs already on the market or under
with natural remedies. Chemically prepared drugs may act quickly,
clinical trial are of natural origin.2 These plants offer compounds for
but they have side effects which affect human body negatively in
new drugs, biomimetic synthesis development and the discovery of
the long run, whereas, medicinal plants work in an integrated or pro-
new therapeutic properties not yet attributed to known compounds.
biotic with little or no adverse effects on the body.1 A number of plant
In most cases, the crude extract of medicinal plants may be used as
species are being used in various human health around the world.
medicaments.
Plant species contain active ingredients such as alkaloids, phenols,
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Medicinal plants and sustainable human health: a review ©2018 Akinyemi et al. 195
It has been estimated that more than 400 traditional plants or ecological awareness suggests that “natural” products are harmless;
plant derived products have been used for the management of type users are faced with minimal health risk resulting from its usage.
2 diabetes across the world. Galegine, a substance produced by
the herb Galega officinalis, provides an excellent example of such Conclusions and recommendations
a discovery. Experimental and clinical evaluations of galegine Demand for a wide variety of wild plant species is increasing
provided the pharmacological and chemical basis for the discovery with growth in human needs, numbers and commercial trade. Plants
of metformin which is the foundation therapy for type 2 diabetes. have provided humans with many of their essential needs, including
Plant derived agents are also being used for the treatment of cancer. life-saving pharmaceutical agents. However, medicinal plants
Several anticancer agents including vincristine, taxol, vinblastine, are threatened as a result of human impact and uncontrolled wild
derivatives, irinotecan and topotecan and etoposide derived from collection, it is therefore recommended that deliberate efforts towards
epipodophyllotoxin are in clinical use worldwide. More so, it was domestication and cultivation are essential for continuous supply of
used as condiments or seasoning in food, which in turn provides some these plant species.
health value to humans.3 In sustainable human health management,
medicinal plant has played a vital role which has led to the growing Acknowledgements
interest in alternative therapies and therapeutic use of plants. The use
of these plants for health practices is on the increase. This is because, None.
it is very cheap in comparison to the conventional synthetic form of
medication, in essence, and it is very affordable. Meanwhile, it can be Conflict of interest
consumed without the aid of any kind of prescription, making it easily Author declares that there is no conflict of interest.
accessible. Also, medicinal plants are known to be more productive in
comparison to other forms of medication in curing certain conditions, References
they are known to be all natural. With the use of these plants,
1. Idu M. The plant called medicine: The 104th Inaugural Lecture Series of
supposed side effects caused by conventional medicine are avoided University of Benin City, Nigeria: Calameo; 2009.
thereby making it less harmful. When synthetic drug is being abused
or incorrectly used, it results in other problems which would have 2. Yue Zhong Shu. Recent natural products based drug development: a
being avoided using plants. In the developing countries, majority of pharmaceutical industry perspective. J Nat Product. 1998;61:1053–1071.
the population does not have access to conventional pharmacological 3. Adepoju AO. Cultivation and conservation of medicinal plants for herbal
treatment, hence, the use of plants and folk medicine. More so, drug production. Nigeria; 2017.
Citation: Akinyemi O, Oyewole SO, Jimoh KA. Medicinal plants and sustainable human health: a review. Horticult Int J. 2018;2(4):194‒195.
DOI: 10.15406/hij.2018.02.00051
