Importance of Medicinal Plants in Traditional and Modern Medicine: Implications for Human Health (Published)

Medicinal plants have long served as a cornerstone of healthcare, providing a rich source of bioactive compounds with diverse pharmacological activities. Growing interest in plant-derived therapeutics, coupled with rapid technological advancements, has transformed medicinal plant research into a multidisciplinary field that integrates traditional knowledge with cutting-edge scientific approaches. This review examines recent progress in the discovery, characterization, and development of bioactive phytochemicals and explores their expanding role in promoting human health. The review highlights the contribution of emerging technologies, including multi-omics platforms (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and spatial omics), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, and nanotechnology, to accelerating natural product research and phytopharmaceutical innovation. These approaches have enhanced the identification of novel bioactive compounds, elucidated biosynthetic pathways and molecular mechanisms of action, optimized cultivation and extraction processes, and improved the precision and efficiency of drug discovery. In addition, nanotechnology-based delivery systems have demonstrated considerable potential to enhance the stability, bioavailability, targeted delivery, and therapeutic efficacy of plant-derived compounds, particularly in the treatment of chronic diseases such as cancer, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and neurodegenerative conditions. Despite these advances, several challenges continue to limit the translation of medicinal plants into evidence-based therapeutics, including biodiversity loss, variability in phytochemical composition, contamination and adulteration of herbal products, and the need for standardized quality control and harmonized regulatory frameworks. Future progress will depend on multidisciplinary collaboration that integrates traditional medicinal knowledge with advanced analytical technologies, computational tools, and sustainable resource management. Such an approach will facilitate the development of safe, effective, and innovative phytopharmaceuticals while supporting precision medicine and improving global health outcomes.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence, Biodiversity, Nanotechnology, bioactive compounds, drug delivery systems, medicinal plants, phytochemicals, phytopharmaceuticals, precision medicine

Ethno Veterinary Medicine Knowledge and Practices In and Around Gondar, Ethiopia (Published)

A cross sectional study was conducted from November, 2013 to April, 2014 in and around Gondar town, northern Gondar administrative zone of the Amhara region with the objective of documentation of ethno veterinary medicine knowledge and practices and identifying the challenges of the traditional medicine practice by using semi structured questionnaire survey and focal person discussion. The information was collected on 96 traditional veterinary medicine knowledgeable live stock owners, among those 90(93.8%) were males while 6(6.2%) were females and 60(62.5%) of them were above 50 age group level. During the study 68 traditionally used medicinal plants and 24 non plants traditional remedy materials were documented and also the study was indicate that 45 live stock diseases could be treated locally. Among the total respondents, 43(44.8%) of them were predominantly indicate veterinary clinic was the common animal health management. likewise from the main sources of traditional knowledge, family (44.8%) followed by friends (19.8%) were the most sources of indigenous knowledge. furthermore, study revealed that simple to practice (25%), cost affordability (20.8%) and easily availability of raw materials (16.7%) were the most factors that drive for the practice of traditional medicine. The survey were indicate that root parts (67.7%) followed by leaf parts (35.4%) of the medicinal plants were the main plant parts for remedy preparations again pounding and crushing(79.2%) were indicate as the common methods of traditional remedy preparation predominantly. Additionally this study revealed that liquid dosage form (54.2%) followed by an ointment (20.8%) were the most dosage form of traditional remedies with predominant administration of oral route (75%) followed by topical routes (22.9%). Regarding to challenges of traditional medicine practices the study indicated that imprecise dosage (62.5%) was the main challenge of traditional medicine practice. The study revealed that as there were no any medicinal plant conservation activity and official training. From the study, conservation and utilization of medicinal plants, encouragement and exploitation of indigenous knowledge rich persons and further pharmacological study of medicinal plants should be recommended.

Keywords: Challenges, Ethno Veterinary Medicine, Indigenous knowledge, medicinal plants