Scope and Pharmacological Limitations of Medicinal Plants in The Treatment of Diseases

This review presents literature referred to infectious and degenerative chronic diseases treated with medicinal plants. The study is based on scientific pharmaceutical literature and experimental reports. The types of diseases studied are some within the classification of chronic degenerative and infectious; literature review shows that herbs are more effective in infectious diseases, mainly diarrhea, cholera, dysentery, salmonella, typhoid fever, vaginal and skin infections and venereal diseases; while it is generating a lot of research for degenerative chronic diseases such as diabetes and cancer, and within nutritional, obesity. ABSTRACT This article presents information on successful pharmacological treat- ment of infectious and chronic degenerative diseases with medicinal plants. The disease is a biological state, where environmental and in- ternal factors threaten the stability (Pena, 2003), group of symptoms that expose the human body to an inadequate state (Feinstein, 2001). Chronic degenerative diseases (Cordova-Villalobos et al., 2008) are "non-communicable, a heterogeneous group of conditions that con- tribute to mortality by a small number of outcomes (diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases)" Zhang et al. (2012) investigated Saskatoon berry (Amelanchier alni- folia (Nutt.) Nutt. ex. M. Roem (Rosaceae)), found it lowers glucose levels. Andrade-Cetto (2010) found that Cecropia obtusifolia and Ce- cropia peltata decrease glucose levels. June et al. (2013) investigated Laportea bulbifera (Sieb. et. Zucc.) and found significant inhibition of insulitis. Shirwaikar (2006) reported that the consumption of Garu- ga pinnata Roxb. (Burseraceae) caused decrease of glucose. Alar- con-Aguilar et al. (2010) found that Psacalium peltatum prevents in- sulin resistance. Domingues et al. (2011) regarding Uncaria tomentosa (UT), found it effective in preventing the immune damage induced by diabetes. Hong et al. (2012) found that Panax ginseng decreases hyperglycemia. Vasconcelos et al. (2011) find that Caesalpinia ferrea Martius (Leguminosae) decreases glucose.