Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An Overview in Support of Continued Research into Phytomedicine: Past, Present, and Future

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Chemistry for Sustainable Development in Africa

Abstract

The role played by plants in the livelihood of humankind is unimaginable. There would be no existence of higher animals on the planet earth without plants. Most of the substances used for therapeutic purposes have been and continue to be directly derived from plants. A good percentage of the current pharmaceuticals are of partially or wholly plant origin.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Aguilar G (2001) Access to Genetic Resources and Protection of Traditional Knowledge in the Territories of Indigenous Peoples. Environ Sci Policy 4:241–256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Ali M (2008) Pharmacognocy (pharmacognocy and phytochemistry). CBS publishers and Distributors, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  3. Asres K, Seyoum A, Veeresham C, Bucar F, Gibbon S (2005) Naturally derived anti-HIV agents. Phytother Res 19:557–581

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Atal CK, Kapur BM (eds) (1982) Cultivation and Utilisation of Medicinal Plants, Regional Research Laboratory C. S. I. R. New Delhi p 177

    Google Scholar 

  5. Barnes J (2003) Quality, efficacy and safety of complementary medicines: fashions, facts and future. Part II: Efficacy and Safety. Br J Clin Pharmacol 55:331–340

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Buchman DD (1980) Herbal medicine. Gramercy Publishing Company, New York, pp 31–36

    Google Scholar 

  7. Busia K (2005) Medical provision in africa. Past and Present Phytother Res 19:919–923

    Google Scholar 

  8. Codd LW (ed) (1972) Materials and Technology, Vol 5. Longman, London, pp 707–757

    Google Scholar 

  9. Cordell GA (1981) Introduction to alkanoids. Wiley Interscience, New York, p 1055

    Google Scholar 

  10. Dev S (1983) Natural Products in medicine-Present Status and Future Prospects. Current Science 52:949–956

    Google Scholar 

  11. Dev S (1989) Higher Plants as a source of drugs. In: Plants and Society. Macmillan Publishers Ltd, London, pp 267–292

    Google Scholar 

  12. Diop CA (1989) Africa’s contribution to world civilisation: exact sciences in Nile valley civilizations. J Afr Civiliz 6(2)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Ernst E (2005) The efficacy of herbal medicine−an overview. J Fundam Clin Pharmacol 19:405–409

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Farnworth NR, Bingel AS (1977) Problems and prospects of discovering new drugs from higher plants by pharcological biological or therapeutical activity. In: Wagner H, Wolf, P (eds) Springer Verlag, Berlin, pp 1–22

    Google Scholar 

  15. Foye WO (ed) (1981) Principles of medicinal chemistry. Lea and Febiger, Philadelphia, p 931

    Google Scholar 

  16. Gottlieb O (1979) Chemical studies on medicinal Myristicaceae from Amazonia. J Ethnopharm 1:309–343

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. (ITC) International Trade Centre UNCTAD/GATT (1982) Markets for selected medicinal plants and their derivations TTC UNCTAD/GATT Geneva pg. 200–216

    Google Scholar 

  18. Kartal M (2007) Intellectual property protection in the natural product drug discovery, traditional herbal medicine and herbal medicinal products. Phytother Res 21:113–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Kirk O (1978) Encyclopaedia of chemical technology, vol 1. Wiley–Inter Science, New York pp 645–729

    Google Scholar 

  20. Kochhar SL (1989) Plants as Stimuli for Exploration and Exploitation. In: Swaminathan MS, Kochhar SL (eds) Plants and Society. Macmillan Publishers, London, pp 44–85

    Google Scholar 

  21. Laus G (2004) Advances in chemistry and bioactivity of the genus. Uncaria Phytother Res 18:259–274 (Review)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Lewis WH, Elvin-Lewis MPF (1977) Medicinal Botany. Wiley—Interscience, New York, p 513

    Google Scholar 

  23. Majumdar RC (1971) Medicine in a concise history of science in India. In: Bose DM (ed) Indian national science academy, New Delhi pp 217–273

    Google Scholar 

  24. Namjoshi A (1979) Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia and drug standardisation. In: Sharma S (ed) Realms of ayurveda. Arnold–Heinemann, New Delhi, pp 217–273

    Google Scholar 

  25. Okeke IN, Klugman KP, Bhutta ZA, Duse AG, Jenkins P, O’Brien TF, Mendez AP, Laxminarayan R (2005) Antimicrobial resistance in developing countries. Part II: Strategies for containment. Lancet Infect Dis 5:568–580

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Patwardhan B, Warude D, Pushapangandan P, Bhatt N (2005) Ayurveda and traditional chinese medicine: a comparative overview. ECAM 2005 2(4): 465–473E (Mail: bhushan@unipune.ernet.in)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Pelt JM (1979) Medicines green revolution. The UNESCO courier, July, 8

    Google Scholar 

  28. Phytochemical Dictionary of leguminosae (1994) 1st edn. vol. 1. Plants and their constituents. Pub. 1994, Chapman and Hall, London, pp 165–166. Phytother Res 20:378–391

    Google Scholar 

  29. Protzen KD (1993) Produktion und Marktbedentung aetherischer Oele. In: Carle R (ed) Aetherische Oele Anspruch und Wicklichkeit Stuttgart: Wisserischaftliche Verlagsgelleschaft Sc. 93

    Google Scholar 

  30. Rajan S, Sethuraman M, Mukherjee PK (2002) Ethnobiology of the nilgiri hills. India Phyther Res 16:96–116

    Google Scholar 

  31. Rodney W (1971) How Europe under developed Africa. Tanzania Publishing House, Dar es Salaam

    Google Scholar 

  32. Samie A, Obi CL, Bessong PO, Namrita L (2005) Activity profiles of fourteen selected medicinal plants from Rural Venda communities in South Africa against fifteen clinical bacterial species. Afr J Biotechnol 4(12):1443–1451

    Google Scholar 

  33. Sharma S (ed) (1979) Realms of ayurveda. Arnold Heinemann, New Delhi, p 336

    Google Scholar 

  34. Sharma S (1982) Realms of Ayuverda. Arnold—Heinemann, New Delhi, p 336

    Google Scholar 

  35. Shibata S (1981) Chinese drug constituents: isolation of the biologically active principles in advances. In: Natori S (ed) Natural products chemistry. Kodasha, Tokyo, pp 398–429

    Google Scholar 

  36. Such D (1983) Natural products medicines−present status and future prospects. C Sci 52:949–956

    Google Scholar 

  37. Sushruta S (1963) Sutra sthana kaviraj kunjalal bhishagratna. Chowkhamba a Sanskrit Series Office, Varanasi, pp 20–26

    Google Scholar 

  38. Swaminathan MS, Kochhar SL (eds) (1989). In plants and society. Macmillan Publishers, London pp 278, 293–310, 351–417 and 471

    Google Scholar 

  39. Taylor N (1965) Plant drugs that changed the world, 3rd edn. George Allan and Urwin, London, p 275

    Google Scholar 

  40. Timmermans K (2003) Intellectual Property Rights and Traditional Medicine: Policy Dilemas at the Interface. J Soc Sci Med 57:745–756

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Vicente M, Hodgson J, Massida O, Tonjum T, Henriques-Normark B, Ron EZ (2006) The Fallacies of Hope: Will We Discover New Antibiotics to Combat Pathogenic Bacteria in Time? FEMS Microbiology Review xx 000–0021

    Google Scholar 

  42. Weiner MA (1972) Earth Medicine, Earth Foods Collier-Macmillan, London, p 214

    Google Scholar 

  43. WHO (1978) The promotion and development of traditional medicine. Technical report series 1978:622

    Google Scholar 

  44. Williamson EM (2002) Plant and animal kingdom as a source of drugs. In: Trease and evans pharmacognosy saunders. Elsevier Science, London 30–35:15–41

    Google Scholar 

  45. Woodford N, Ellington, MJ (2006) The Emergence of antibiotic resistance by mutation. doi:10.1111/j/1469-0691. 01492

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Botany and Horticulture, Maseno University, Private Bag, Maseno, Kenya

    Omari Amuka

Authors
  1. Omari Amuka
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Omari Amuka .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Mauritius, Reduit, Mauritius

    Ameenah Gurib-Fakim

  2. , Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pretoria, Private bag X20 Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa

    Jacobus Nicolaas Eloff

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Amuka, O. (2013). An Overview in Support of Continued Research into Phytomedicine: Past, Present, and Future. In: Gurib-Fakim, A., Eloff, J. (eds) Chemistry for Sustainable Development in Africa. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-29642-0_1

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation