Plant Kingdom: Source for New Life-Saving Medicines

Plant Kingdom: Source for New Life-Saving Medicines

According to scientists, the plant kingdom is a great source for new medicines.

New York Botanical Garden scientists revealed that there are probably 500 useful chemicals among plants that are waiting to be discovered. These chemical constituents may be developed into new drugs or may be used as basis for other studies.

Currently, there are 135 medicines on the market which are purely obtained from plants. James S. Miller, Ph.D., and Vice President for Science at the Botanical Garden states that variety of plants has not been exhausted, so there is still a chance in the plant world.

In his recent analysis, "The Discovery of Medicines from Plants: A Current Biological Perspective”, Dr. James Miller reviewed the disappointing history of past plant-screening efforts and evaluates the potential for future studies in the development of other drugs. Dr. Miller likewise stated that one compound may interfere with the action of another, or the amount of one compound may be too small to be identified in a mix of hundreds of chemicals.

Thus, leaving the plant world poorly explored for sources of lifesaving drugs. Dr. Miller in his analysis aims to encourage and conserve natural habitats for plants before they become extinct.

Posted by George Daniels on Wednesday December 14 2011, 9:51 AM EDT. Ref: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2011-12/tnyb-nmc121211.php. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News, Health. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0