Ethnopharmacology

Abstract

The terms ethnopharmacology, ethnobotany and pharmacognosy are interrelated. Ethnopharmacology deals with the traditional use of phytoactive molecules by humans while ethnobotany focuses on cultural use of plants and beliefs involved in their use by various human society. All these branches essentially focus on the chemistry, biological action and uses of active phytochemicals obtained from the plants. Based on their role, phytochemicals are classified into primary and secondary metabolites. The majority of drugs obtained until now are almost the secondary metabolites of the plants. Secondary metabolites like various alkaloids, glycosides, non-protein amino acids, lignins, tannins, polyphenolic compounds and others are isolated, purified, structurally modified and promoted as ‘active drug’ in modern medicine. Such plant-derived drugs are immense and affect almost all the organ systems in the human body. Bronchodilators like theophylline, purgatives like senna, cardiac glycosides like digoxin, antihypertensives like reserpine, anticholinergics like atropine and number of antibiotics from fungi constitute the tip of the iceberg for the potential use of plant-derived drugs. Discovery of these phytochemical drugs requires comprehensive knowledge about the ethnicity of plant, basic principles in drug extraction process from plants, choice of selection of solvents for extraction and purification steps involved in isolation of active phytochemicals.