Medicinal Plants: A Future of Modern Medical System

Humans, since their evolution, have always been in close contact with mother nature. Early life has been dependent solely on environmental resources for their livelihood. The trial-and-error approach in utilizing different resources came up with incorporating plants as a whole or their parts for food and survival. Gradually, the knowledge of medicinal plants was gained by our ancestors, and there started the Indian medical history of Ayurveda. In the current scenario, a huge number of medicinal herbs are being consumed in day-to-day life, which imparts tremendous benefits to human health. Our interest in gaining knowledge of medicinal components present in these herbs has led to many important discoveries in the area of drug development. Nowadays, numerous plants derived compounds are being used in modern medicines. In view of utilizing these natural resources efficiently, we need to understand their components in a better way. This chapter is towards gaining a deeper knowledge about medicinal plants, their role in different diseases, and insights into drug discovery.