The use of plants and other botanicals as a source of medicines exists of the earliest stages of civilization. Despite great advances in synthetic organic chemistry, it is estimated that about onefourth of present day prescription drugs still have a botanical origin. Recently, and through modern biotechnology, there has been a revival of interest in obtaining new pharmaceuticals from botanical ...

Contents 1. Introduction 2. Medicinal plants in the evolution of biomedicine 2.1. Medicinal plants as landmarks in medical history 2.1.1. Ancient times 2.1.2. Arabic and Greek legacies 2.1.3. Last century of the second millennium legacy 2.2. Medicinal plants as sources of prototypic agents 3. Disease control in a cross-cultural context: A case of applied ethnopharmacology to common intestinal p...

In order to make an inventory of herbal remedies commonly used in the treatment of diabetes, hypertension and renal diseases in the North centre region of Morocco, 1527 patients (1095 diabetic patients, 274 with renal disorders and 158 with cardiac disorders) and 25 traditional herbal healers were interviewed in four different areas of Fez-Boulemane region. More than 1153 of the total patients ...

The dependence of local people on plant medicine from natural forests has a long tradition in Tanzania and is becoming increasingly popular among rural and urban communities due to among others increase in living costs. The study on utilization of medicinal plants for meeting heath care needs was carried out between March 2001 and March 2002 in New Dabaga Ulongambi Forest Reserve, Tanzania. The...

Due to the limited availability of effective pharmaceutical products and serious side effects of the available therapy for leishmaniasis, search for useful medicinal plants is necessary. Previous studies reported preventative effect of Echinacea against Leishmania infections through immunologic stimulation. Here we tested concentrated ethanolic extract of the root of Echinacea purpurea prepared...

Recombinant production of pharmaceutical proteins is crucial, not only for personalized medicine. While most biopharmaceuticals are currently produced in mammalian cell culture, plant-made pharmaceuticals gain momentum. Post-translational modifications in plants are similar to those in humans, however, existing differences may affect quality, safety and efficacy of the products. A frequent modi...

Medicinal plants and preparations derived from plants in the Caucasus and North America regions have for a long time been used for the treatment and prevention of virtually all human afflictions. Even today, countries and people of these areas continue to test and use plants as medicine. Indeed, the study and application of medicinal plants and plant extracts has formed the basis for treatment ...

Synthetic linear antimicrobial peptides with cationic α-helical structures, such as BP100, have potent and specific activities against economically important plant pathogenic bacteria. They are also recognized as valuable therapeutics and preservatives. However, highly active BP100 derivatives are often phytotoxic when expressed at high levels as recombinant peptides in plants. Here we demonstr...

Traditional Indian medicine (ayurveda) is becoming increasingly popular, with many chronic conditions responding to it well. Most patients begin to take conventional medications as soon as their diagnoses are made, so ayurvedic treatments are usually undergone alongside and/or after conventional medical approaches. A detailed knowledge of the action of food, spices, and medicinal plants is need...

Plant transient expression using virus-based vectors is advantageous when high level of gene expression is desired within a short time. In this study, a new system, named "air-brush," has been developed to facilitate a scale-up production of recombinant proteins in plants. GFP was expressed successfully in Nicotiana benthamiana (Nb) plants by air-brushing an Agrobacterium suspension that contai...