Passage 1 Traditional botanical medicine: An introduction The role of traditional medicine in the well-being of mankind has certainly journeyed a long way From an ancient era, in which knowledge was limited to a few traditional healers and dominated by the use of whole plants or crude drugs, the science has gradually evolved into a complete healthcare system with global recognition. Technologic advancements have facilitated traditional science to deliver numerous breakthrough botanicals with potency equivalent to those of conventional drugs the renewed interest in traditional medicine is mainly attributed to its ability to prevent disease, promote health, and improve quality of life. Despite the support received from public bodies and research organizations, development of botanical medicines continues to be a challenging process The use of plants to treat diseases is as old as mankind, possibly older considering that animals have been known to seek out plants if they are ill Evidence of medicinal plants has been found in prehistoric archeological digs in the Middle east. The knowledge of the healing properties of these plants has been handed down from generation to generation like primitive health insurance. Therapeutic or toxic effects of various plants were observed over thousands of years creating verbal materia medica. Eventually, ancient records detailed the use of medicinal plants in Babylon, China, India, and Egypt Botanicals are the foundations for modern medical therapeutics As man and technology progressed, the interest in the use of whole plant extracts was replaced with the concept of isolating and synthesizing the active components. In this manner, one had the ability to protect the intellectual property with a patent. In addition, clinical research had only single molecules to deal with, facilitating development. Despite this loss of favor, 25% of modern prescriptions have their active components derived from plants. There is a current resurgence of interest in medicinal plants fueled by the nting results of current technolog nd their ability to drugs. Consequently, new drug pipelines are drying up, whereas major disease targets still go wanting. The number of cutting-edge drugs developed by the pharmaceutical industry has been steadily declining. There is also a renewed interest in gentler, more holistic approaches to medical care. The fact that the baby boomers'"are into their 60s may have some impact. There is also the emphasis on everything green"from an environmental perspective What is the rationale for once again going bioprospecting in the plant kingdom? Plants are virtual phytochemical factories. They produce primary and secondary metabolites. The primary metabolites are responsible for plant growth, whereas the secondary metabolites allow the plant to defend itself against predators, environmental extremes, and diseases. These protective phytochemicals have the ability act synergistically. As therapeutic entities in humans, they provide multicomponent medicines. This can be contrasted withPassage 1 Traditional Botanical Medicine: An Introduction The role of traditional medicine in the well-being of mankind has certainly journeyed a long way. From an ancient era, in which knowledge was limited to a few traditional healers and dominated by the use of whole plants or crude drugs, the science has gradually evolved into a complete healthcare system with global recognition. Technologic advancements have facilitated traditional science to deliver numerous breakthrough botanicals with potency equivalent to those of conventional drugs. The renewed interest in traditional medicine is mainly attributed to its ability to prevent disease, promote health, and improve quality of life. Despite the support received from public bodies and research organizations, development of botanical medicines continues to be a challenging process. The use of plants to treat diseases is as old as mankind, possibly older considering that animals have been known to seek out plants if they are ill. Evidence of medicinal plants has been found in prehistoric archeological digs in the Middle East. The knowledge of the healing properties of these plants has been handed down from generation to generation like primitive health insurance. Therapeutic or toxic effects of various plants were observed over thousands of years creating verbal materia medica. Eventually, ancient records detailed the use of medicinal plants in Babylon, China, India, and Egypt. Botanicals are the foundations for modern medical therapeutics. As man and technology progressed, the interest in the use of whole plant extracts was replaced with the concept of isolating and synthesizing the active components. In this manner, one had the ability to protect the intellectual property with a patent. In addition, clinical research had only single molecules to deal with, facilitating development. Despite this loss of favor, 25% of modern prescriptions have their active components derived from plants. There is a current resurgence of interest in medicinal plants fueled by the disappointing results of current technologies and their ability to create new drugs. Consequently, new drug pipelines are drying up, whereas major disease targets still go wanting. The number of cutting-edge drugs developed by the pharmaceutical industry has been steadily declining. There is also a renewed interest in gentler, more holistic approaches to medical care. The fact that the “baby boomers” are into their 60s may have some impact. There is also the emphasis on everything ‘‘green’’ from an environmental perspective. What is the rationale for once again going bioprospecting in the plant kingdom? Plants are virtual phytochemical factories. They produce primary and secondary metabolites. The primary metabolites are responsible for plant growth, whereas the secondary metabolites allow the plant to defend itself against predators, environmental extremes, and diseases. These protective phytochemicals have the ability act synergistically. As therapeutic entities in humans, they provide multicomponent medicines. This can be contrasted with