Phytochemical Constituents of Biological Prominence from Medicinal Plants as Therapeutic agents in Disease Treatment

Abstract

Background: Medicinal plants have been utilized for medicinal purposes including antibiotics, anti-malaria, anti-HIV, anti-tuberculosis and anti-inflammatory agents for ages in most parts of West Africa and Africa at large. Medicinal plants are the major components in all traditional medicine systems. Many research groups are engaged in multi-disciplinary assessment, reviews and evaluation of phytochemicals from medicinal plants for leads in developing drugs and active ingredients of medicines for treatment of various diseases. Therefore, the overview and compilation of several research findings on activities of medicinal plants. Objectives: In the present review, an attempt has been made to give an overview of certain phytochemical constituents of biological importance from medicinal plants responsible for disease treatments. Methods: Reports of previous work on the medicinal plant species were accessed from the published scientific peer-reviewed journals, books, short communications, from national, regional, and international organizations and institutions. Scientific compilation of these studies to provide useful information on the pharmacological importance of these plants in disease control was done.  Results: Medicinal plant species contain bioactive compounds such as triterpenoids, glycosylated triterpenes, and other phytochemical constituents with varied biological importance.  

Keywords: Medicinal plants, Phytochemicals, Bioactive, Disease treatment, Therapies