Investigation Utilization of Medicinal Plants: From Historical Practices to Contemporary Medicine

Abstract

This study explores the use of medicinal plants from historical traditions within contemporary medical practice, highlighting their continued relevance across diverse cultures and healthcare systems. Indigenous populations and ancient civilizations employed botanical remedies to treat a wide spectrum of diseases, laying the foundation for traditional healing systems and contributing to empirical medical knowledge. To evaluate these practices in a modern context, a structured narrative review and data-driven synthesis were conducted. Data were retrieved from PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar, prioritizing publications from 2000-2024 while including earlier works for historical context. Sources were classified according to cultural significance and pharmacological validation. The synthesis identifies medicinal plants that are both culturally significant and pharmacologically substantiated. The findings demonstrate the renewed relevance of herbal therapies in integrative healthcare and underscore the importance of preserving traditional knowledge while ensuring rigorous, evidence-based validation. Overall, this study advocates for a comprehensive framework that bridges cultural heritage and modern biomedical practice to address contemporary health challenges.

Keywords

medicinal plants / plant biodiversity / ethnobotany / iraqi plants / iraq

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