For millennia, medicinal plants have played a central role in improving our health, forming the basis of many treatments. Today, despite the rise of modern medicine, plants continue to provide essential compounds for the manufacture of many medicines. Ancient civilizations have documented the use of plants to treat various diseases. Ancient texts such as the Ebers Papyrus and the Shennong Bencao Jing list hundreds of plants and their medicinal uses. These ancient traditions laid the foundation for modern herbal medicine. Medicinal plants remain an invaluable source of therapeutic compounds, contributing significantly to public health. Their role in the creation of modern medicines is a testament to the richness and complexity of nature.
Papaver somniferum. The sedative effects of its latex, highly concentrated in opium, have been known since Antiquity. It was not until 1805 that a German pharmacist isolated the active ingredient, an analgesic, which he named morphine, in reference to Morpheus, the god of dreams. Other molecules have been extracted from it, such as codeine, an analgesic and antitussive.
Catharanthus roseus. It contains vinblastine and vincristine, anti-tumor agents, effective in treating leukemia and Hodgkin’s disease. Synthetic molecules are used against lung, breast and bladder cancers.
Digitalis purpurea. L’ingestion de (…)
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