Medicinal plants: Past traditions and hope of tomorrow

Medicinal plants have been used as a source of therapies since ancient times and its widespread use is described in the Vedas and the Bible. These plants play a critical role in the development of human cultures around the whole world. Medicinal Plants have been used for thousands of years to flavor and conserve food, to treat health disorders and to prevent diseases including epidemics. The knowledge of their healing properties has been transmitted over the centuries within and among human communities. Assurance of the safety and efficacy of medicinal plants and herbal products has now become a key issue in developing countries. Besides that, medicinal plants consider as a rich resources of ingredients which can be used in drug development and synthesis. Active compounds produced during secondary metabolism are usually responsible for the biological properties of plant species for treatment of various diseases. Currently, data on the antimicrobial, antioxidant and antitumor activity of numerous plants have been scientifically confirmed. Numerous studies have aimed to describe the chemical composition of these plant and the mechanisms involved in its biological activity.