New World plants; New World drugs

Area of Science:

• Ethnobotany
• Pharmacology
• History of Medicine

Background:

• European colonization of the New World facilitated the integration of indigenous plant-based medicines into Western pharmacopeias.
• Native American cultures utilized numerous Western Hemisphere plants for medicinal purposes over millennia.

Purpose of the Study:

• To profile 30 native plants and their derivatives used as medicines.
• To examine the historical incorporation of these plant medicines into European and American medical practices.
• To discuss the contemporary relevance and challenges facing traditional plant-based remedies.

Main Methods:

• Historical review of ethnobotanical records and pharmacopeial entries.
• Profiling of 30 selected plant species and their medicinal derivatives.
• Analysis of factors influencing the recognition of traditional medicines.

Main Results:

• Thirty plant-derived medicines were identified and profiled, many of which were adopted into European materia medica.
• Several of these plant-based drugs achieved official status in the United States Pharmacopeia (USP).
• A growing trend shows increased public interest in natural remedies for self-medication.

Conclusions:

• Traditional plant medicines from the New World have significantly impacted Western medicine.
• Challenges such as lack of patentability and high drug approval costs hinder the formal recognition of many valuable plant-based treatments.
• Further investigation and policy considerations are needed to support the integration and validation of these natural remedies.