What are medicinal plants and herbs? A medicinal plant is a plant with medicinal properties. These are the plants used for medicine. Medicinal herbs and plants have health benefits for people. They grow in the garden and pick fresh for use.
You can get them as dried plant parts, such as leaves, roots, fruits, and seeds. These herbal plants are almost everywhere around the world. They are available in trees, shrubs or even herbs. They also help with air quality because they improve the environment by removing pollutants from it.
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Medicinal Plants – Effective Against Viruses, Bacteria, And Fungi
The active ingredients in many medicinal plants and herbs are effective against a wide range of viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Medicinal herb remedies have successfully treated common ailments like colds, diarrhea, and upset stomachs. The parts of the plant help treat illnesses.
They are known as medicinal leaves, medicinal branches, or medicinal bark. Examples include eucalyptus, mint, and comfrey. These plants help to treat a wide range of health conditions. Also, they can help treat such illnesses as coughs, headaches, muscle pain, infections, and inflammation.
Herbs and Therapeutic Plants Heal Humans
In Africa and all over, many therapeutic plants and herbs are still widely used in traditional medicine. Herbalists use these plants used for medicine, as a source of treatments for hundreds of years. Many plants are now commercially produced. They are available throughout the world, either as dried plant parts or prepared extracts from those plants.
Forms Available Of Medicinal Plants and Herbs
Plant with medicinal properties is available in many forms. You can consume them orally (by mouth) or sometimes intravenously (into the vein). Most of them come in tablet, capsule, liquid, or pill form. Others are made into teas, powders, and ointments for external application onto the skin or mucous membranes.
Medicinals that require external application usually come as creams and ointments that can be smeared onto arthritic joints or skin rashes. They also come in tinctures (alcohol extracts) for internal use, usually in liquid form, as well.
Medicinals that require internal use may be taken as teas, infusions, or syrups or even used as enemas (introduced into the rectum). Medicinal Plant products come in a range of concentrations depending on their strength. These plants topically usually contain between 2% to 5% active ingredients, while oral remedies usually have 1% to 2%.
Herbs and Herbal Medicines
There are herbs and herbal medicines which fall within the definition of the medicinal herb. They do not have natural therapeutic properties. These include culinary herbs, which are plants that can be eaten and used to flavor food.
Medicinal properties include anti-oxidants, antibacterial, anti-viral or anti-fungal properties. Medicinal herbs have been used for years as a safer alternative than many synthetic medicines. They come in two methods: extraction or distillation. These herbs and plants come from the sap or resin of certain plant species.
These plants (plants with medicinal properties) cultivated for thousands of years, it is not surprising that they have provided sources for many useful drugs. The active ingredients in these herbs often work better than drugs, and they develop synthetically in a laboratory.
It is because there is usually an effective concentration difference between the amount found naturally in the herbal plants. This is what can be achieved in the laboratory. These plants work better than drugs produced synthetically.
Medicinal Plant Families
Following are some common medicinal herb and plant families listed below:
– Acanthaceae (Acanthus Family)
– Aizoaceae (Fig-marigold Family)
– Amaryllidaceae (Amaryllis Family)
– Anacardiaceae (Sumac Family)
– Apiaceae (Parsley family; Carrot family; celery family)
– Asteraceae (Composite herb family; Daisy family; Sunflower family)
– Acanthaceae (Acanthus Family)
– Acanthopanax spp. (Dwarf Panax; Ginseng Family; Aralia family)
– Achillea millefolium (Yarrow Herb; milfoil herb, nosebleed plant )
– Adonis aestivalis (Adonis; Adonis Flower)
– Agrimonia eupatoria (Agrimony Herb )
– Allium sativum L. (Garlic; Garlic bulb; Onion)
– Alnus glutinosa (European Alder; common alder )
– Aloysia triphylla (Lemon Verbena; Aloysia citriodora)
– Andropogon zizanioides (Andropogon grass)
– Angelica archangelica L. (Angelica; Garden Angelica ; Wild Celery)
– Arnica Montana (Arnica; Leopard’s bane; Mountain Tobacco)
– Asarum europaeum L. (Wild Ginger; European Ginger)
– Berberis vulgaris (Barberry Medicinal; Barberry Bush Plants)
– Betula alba (Birch White Birch; Sweet Birch)
– Bupleurum falcatum(Chinese Thoroughwax Herb ; Chinese Bupleurum Herb)
– Calendula officilalis; Pot Marigold; Calendula; Marigol)
– Cannabis sativa; Hemp; Marijuana)
– Capsicum annuum L.(Tabasco Pepper; Cayenne Pepper)
– Carthamus tinctorius (Safflower; Saffron Crocus)
– Centaurium erythraea (Centaury Herb : Gentian medicinal herb)
– Chelidonium majus (Greater Celandine plant; Greater Melandrine plant)
– Chondrus crispus (Irish Moss: Carrageen Medicinal Plants ; Carrageen Moss)
– Cichorium intybus Medicinal Plantss (Chicory Medicinals; Succory Medicines)
– Citrus aurantifolia (Lemon; wild lemon; Buddha’s hand)
– Conium maculatum Medic?nal Plastns; Hemlock Herb)
– Coriandrum sativum (Coriander Herb: corianderseeds herb plant medicinal herbs)
– Bignoniaceae (Trumpet vine family)
– Brassicaceae (Cabbage family; Mustard family; Cruciferous vegetable family)
– Bromeliaceae (Bromeliad Family)
– Convolvulaceae (Morning glory family; Bindweed Family)
– Fabaceae (Legume Plant Family; Bean Family )
– Geraniaceae(Geranium Family )
– Orchidaceae (Orchid Plant Family)
Interested in learning more about herbal plants? Read the article about the plants used for medicines.
References
9 Most Powerful Medicinal Plants and Herbs, Backed by Science https://www.healthline.com/health/most-powerful-medicinal-plants
A Guide to Common Medicinal Herbs – Health Encyclopedia … https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/content.aspx?contenttypeid=1&contentid=1169
Medicinal Plant – an overview | ScienceDirect Topics https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/medicinal-plant
Medicinal plants – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicinal_plants