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Ethnopharmacological knowledge is viewed as an increasingly relevant and
important source for development of new medicinal products. Historically
plants have been the basis of many medicines and are a major resource
for human health care. This project critically examined the
science-based medical evidence supporting use of traditional Asian
medicinal plants for curative,
preventive or palliative functions relevant to important chronic
ailments in Western countries (eg. cardiovascular disease, cancer,
diabetes, arthritis, dementia, asthma). Around 400 medicinal plant
species were reviewed through 3,500 scientific references. There were
more species associated with anticancer effects than any other chronic
disease, suggesting that if Asian medicinal species are to make new
impacts on Western health there is a strong chance that this will be as
anticancer agents. However, conclusive positive results from randomised,
double blind, placebo-controlled experiments with humans were only
available for a limited number of crops. Garlic (Allium sativum),
turmeric (Curcuma
longa),green
tea (Camellia
sinensis),
ginseng (Panax ginseng),
Astragalus
membranaceus
and Ginkgo biloba are
important
Chinese medicinal plants with strong support from medical efficacy
trials. Other species backed by good data include
Apocynum venetum,
Codonopsis pilosula,
Fallopia multiflora,
Huperzia serrata, Lycium barbarum,
Lycium chinense, Stephania tetrandra and Trichosanthes
kirilowii.
Key
words:
Ethnopharmacology, plant, chronic disease. |
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