Evidence-based phytotherapy: what, why and how?

Subject Areas : Phytochemistry: Isolation, Purification, Characterization

Satyajit d. Sarker ¹ , Lutfun Nahar ²

1 - Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Products Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, John Moores University, James Parsons Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, United Kingdom
2 - Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Products Research Group, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, John Moores University, James Parsons Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, United Kingdom

Received: 2018-08-19 Accepted : 2018-08-21 Published : 2018-09-01

Keywords: Evidence-based phytotherapy, clinical practice, medical practice, problem-oriented approach, <i>In silico</i> studies,

Abstract :

With the ever-increasing popularity and extensive usage of phytotherapy all over the globe, it has now become absolutely necessary to ensure its efficacy, toxicity and adverse effects on the basis of suitable scientific evidence, and to put proper measures in place to regulate practice of phytotherapy as well as phytotherapeutic products. Before getting into the nitty-gritty of evidence-based phytotherapy, let us quickly remind ourselves of the definition of phytotherapy. Simply, phytotherapy, the term first introduced by the French physician Henri Leclerc in 1993, is the plant-based therapy or medical practice that is offered to treat and/or prevent various human diseases.

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