Traditional medicine in the modern world

Traditional medicine is slowly establishing its rightful place in today’s modern world. The World Health Organization (WHO) claimed that 40-80 per cent of the population of third world countries depend on traditional medicine to meet their health care needs.

Today, there is a growing interest in traditional and alternative systems of medicine in many developed countries.

The high demand for medicinal plants in the international pharmaceutical industry make them potential export products. In the expansion of the herbal industry, accurate and up-to-date information on the plant species are deemed necessary.

Responding to this need, the Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) recently published the second volume of PROSEA 12: Medicinal and poisonous plants. The first sub-volume deals with the better-known medicinal and poisonous plants. The second sub-volume discusses in 171 papers the species with long standing reputation in traditional medicine and species that have been well-investigated phytochemically or pharmacologically. Up-to-date information is provided concerning local knowledge, as well as modern research findings.

The sub-volume includes genera like Alstonia, Alyxia, Capparis, Croton, well-known in traditional medicine of Southeast Asia, as well as other species investigated to have potential contributions in the field of photochemistry and pharmacology. Also discussed in the introductory chapter are aspects of quality control of herbal drugs.

The sub-volume is the second of the three-part volumes on medicinal and poisonous plants. PROSEA multi-volume books consist of 20 volumes grouped according to primary use.

The World Health Assembly accepted the reality that many adhere to traditional medicine for primary health care. It also acknowledged traditional healers as potentially important resources for the delivery of health care.

Experts, likewise, recognize the great importance of medicinal plants to the health of individuals and communities. Moreover, as an aftermath of the Alma Ata Conference on Primary Health Care in 1978, the Philippine government encouraged the use of a number of medicinal plant preparations. This paved the way for more scientific studies on traditional medicinal plants.

At present, WHO confirms that medicinal plants are vital elements in pharmacological research and drug development in as much as plant constituents are used directly as therapeutic agents, basic materials for the synthesis of drugs, and as models for pharmacologically active compounds.

In the market, banaba, sambong and lagundi tea, avocado, papaya, cucumber, and ampalaya health care products are becoming lucrative businesses. Apart from these, researchers have identified a number of plants to have remarkable contributions in the field of phytochemistry and may have prospects for the production of bio-active intermediates.

For orders or queries about the book and other PROSEA handbook volumes, contact PROSEA Country Office Philippines c/o Crops Research Division, Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD), Los Baños, Laguna at (049) 5360014-20, email: [email protected]. — Jesselle L. Solivas, S&T Media Service