Knowra Medicinal plants Medicinal plants Medicinal plants are plants used to prevent or treat illness, relieve symptoms, or supply substances used in medicines. Their effects can come from whole preparations or isolated chemical compounds.
Phytochemistry : The study of chemical compounds produced by plants. It identifies the molecules that give medicinal plants their therapeutic effects and potential toxicity.
Artemisia annua : A plant species whose leaves and flowers contain artemisinin, an antimalarial compound. Its active compound became the basis of widely used malaria treatments.
Traditional medicine : Health knowledge and practices developed within cultural traditions and passed across generations. Medicinal plants have long been used within diverse systems of traditional care.
Evidence-based medicine : The practice of integrating research evidence, clinical expertise, and patient circumstances in medical decisions. It provides standards for testing claims about plant remedies.
Alkaloid : A nitrogen-containing organic compound, often biologically active, produced by plants and other organisms. Many medicinal plants owe potent effects to alkaloids such as morphine and quinine.
Cinchona : A genus of South American trees whose bark contains quinine and related alkaloids. Cinchona bark supplied quinine, a landmark treatment for malaria.
Ebers Papyrus : An ancient Egyptian medical papyrus containing prescriptions and descriptions of remedies. It records early written evidence of plant-based remedies.
Clinical trial : A research study that prospectively evaluates health interventions in human participants. Trials can test whether a standardized plant preparation benefits patients.
Terpenoid : A diverse class of compounds built from five-carbon isoprene units and produced by plants and other organisms. Terpenoids account for medicinal compounds such as artemisinin and menthol.
Papaver somniferum : The opium poppy, a flowering plant whose latex contains morphine, codeine, and related alkaloids. Its alkaloids became medicines for pain and cough, as well as sources of serious risks.
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