Medicinal plants as biological and socio-ecological components of One Health

Although the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that approximately 40% of contemporary pharmaceuticals are derived from natural products and traditional knowledge sources, medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) remain underrepresented in global health policy frameworks. While the One Health concept emphasizes the interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health, MAPs have historically been viewed mainly as passive resources rather than as dynamic biological and ecological actors. This review synthesizes interdisciplinary evidence published from 2015 to 2025 to reframe medicinal plants across the One Health continuum. By examining their potential role in antimicrobial resistance mitigation through phytochemical synergy, their contribution to ethnoveterinary practices that may support animal health management and zoonotic risk reduction, and their value as biotic indicators of ecosystem integrity, this study highlights how MAPs may help connect biodiversity conservation with global health security. The available evidence suggests that selected medicinal plants and plant-derived compounds may contribute to antimicrobial resistance mitigation through mechanisms such as biofilm inhibition, efflux pump suppression, and synergistic interactions with conventional antimicrobials. The review also highlights the growing vulnerability of medicinal plant resources to biodiversity loss, climate changes in secondary metabolite production, and the erosion of traditional knowledge systems. Based on these findings, we propose an integrated One Health framework for medicinal plants that supports transdisciplinary policies linking conservation biology with pharmaceutical and healthcare resilience. Recognizing medicinal plants as biological and socio-ecological mediators may strengthen efforts to address antimicrobial resistance, biodiversity loss, and emerging global health challenges.