Revisiting the ancient concept of botanical therapeutics

Nat Chem Biol. 2007 Jul;3(7):360-6. doi: 10.1038/nchembio0707-360.

Abstract

Mixtures of interacting compounds produced by plants may provide important combination therapies that simultaneously affect multiple pharmacological targets and provide clinical efficacy beyond the reach of single compound-based drugs. Developing innovative scientific methods for discovery, validation, characterization and standardization of these multicomponent botanical therapeutics is essential to their acceptance into mainstream medicine.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Factors / chemistry
  • Biological Factors / therapeutic use*
  • Diabetes Mellitus / drug therapy*
  • Drug Approval
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Humans
  • Medicine, Chinese Traditional* / trends
  • Molecular Structure
  • Plant Preparations / chemistry*
  • Plant Preparations / therapeutic use*
  • Plants / chemistry*

Substances

  • Biological Factors
  • Plant Preparations