the single-component drugs or new chemical entities usually developed in the pharmaceutical industry. Focusing on herbal medicine could be a quicker, more economical approach to drug discovery. We could begin by increasing efforts in bioprospecting to seek out and analyze new plant species for medicinal properties. This would be interesting but probably not the best approach. We have vast resources in the expertise of traditional medical practitioners around the globe. Nearly every culture has its own particular variety of healer. Their knowledge is time-tested and could provide direction in the search for medicinal plants for specific disease targets. In this manner, laboratory screens can be supplemented, possibly proceeding directly to clinical efficacy studies Poorly understood diseases without validated screening methods or animal models could still be addressed. Direct contact with traditional medicine practitioners is one approach to acquiring this direction. However, this approach does have the limitation of relying on the accuracy and specificity of the individual's knowledge. The most reliable approach to gathering relevant information is to research texts in which centuries of information on medicinal plants have been recorded The two traditional medical systems that have the earliest documentation are Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda. These ancient approaches have conceptual similarities. Both systems promote health, quality of life, and prevention. They approach disease treatment from several perspectives, combining plants that contain phytochemicals, which are synergistic in their activities, addressing different aspects of the particular disease process Although the potential for greater safety in plant derived medicines is possible, it would be a mistake to assume that all whole plant extracts for medicinal purposes are completely safe. For this reason it is imperative to proceed carefully in the botanical drug development process. For example, it is essential that all plant substances are thoroughly analyzed to verify the plants identity and determine if they contain any potentially toxic substances such as heavy metals. Analyses would also serve to help establish some type of standardization, which would ensure the same percentage of active components in subsequent renderings of plant materials. This has been a major stumbling block, because environmental conditions, plant-cultivating practices, and other factors have made consistency very difficult. Preclinical and clinical studies are important to define potential toxicities, safety, and efficacy The future depends on the continued level of interest and support of medical research centers, relevant scientist/investigators, the pharmaceutical industry, and the consumer. The future does seem bright as some of the stumbling blocks for regaining worldwide acceptance were slowly removed over the last decade. Consumer confidence has been strengthened by advances made in the supply chain and innovation programs by public and private bodies in two of the major supplying nations The road ahead is long but the journey has begun and promises to be interesting and fulfillingthe single-component drugs or new chemical entities usually developed in the pharmaceutical industry. Focusing on herbal medicine could be a quicker, more economical approach to drug discovery. We could begin by increasing efforts in bioprospecting to seek out and analyze new plant species for medicinal properties. This would be interesting but probably not the best approach. We have vast resources in the expertise of traditional medical practitioners around the globe. Nearly every culture has its own particular variety of healer. Their knowledge is time-tested and could provide direction in the search for medicinal plants for specific disease targets. In this manner, laboratory screens can be supplemented, possibly proceeding directly to clinical efficacy studies. Poorly understood diseases without validated screening methods or animal models could still be addressed. Direct contact with traditional medicine practitioners is one approach to acquiring this direction. However, this approach does have the limitation of relying on the accuracy and specificity of the individual’s knowledge. The most reliable approach to gathering relevant information is to research texts in which centuries of information on medicinal plants have been recorded. The two traditional medical systems that have the earliest documentation are Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda. These ancient approaches have conceptual similarities. Both systems promote health, quality of life, and prevention. They approach disease treatment from several perspectives, combining plants that contain phytochemicals, which are synergistic in their activities, addressing different aspects of the particular disease process. Although the potential for greater safety in plant derived medicines is possible, it would be a mistake to assume that all whole plant extracts for medicinal purposes are completely safe. For this reason it is imperative to proceed carefully in the botanical drug development process. For example, it is essential that all plant substances are thoroughly analyzed to verify the plants’ identity and determine if they contain any potentially toxic substances such as heavy metals. Analyses would also serve to help establish some type of standardization, which would ensure the same percentage of active components in subsequent renderings of plant materials. This has been a major stumbling block, because environmental conditions, plant-cultivating practices, and other factors have made consistency very difficult. Preclinical and clinical studies are important to define potential toxicities, safety, and efficacy. The future depends on the continued level of interest and support of medical research centers, relevant scientist/investigators, the pharmaceutical industry, and the consumer. The future does seem bright as some of the stumbling blocks for regaining worldwide acceptance were slowly removed over the last decade. Consumer confidence has been strengthened by advances made in the supply chain and innovation programs by public and private bodies in two of the major supplying nations. The road ahead is long but the journey has begun and promises to be interesting and fulfilling