Arun Suresh
JJM Medical College, India
Posters-Accepted Abstracts: Nat Prod Chem Res
Ethnopharmacology is a multidisciplinary study of biological agents used in traditional medicine. It correlates ethnic groups, their health, physical habits and methodology in creating and using medicines. From time immemorial humans have used various materials that nature provided in the form of flora, fauna & minerals. An impressive number of modern drugs have been isolated from natural sources, many of which were used as traditional medicines. Medicinal folklore has proved to be an invaluable guide in drug screening. Many modern drugs like digitoxin, aspirin, atropine, tubocurarine are proof for this concept. Ethnobotanical and phytochemical studies of these plants should be done promptly as loss of language and traditional knowledge due to habitat destruction and acculturation among vulnerable tribes and indigenous group is a major concern particularly in developing countries under pressures of modernization. This review aims to point out the essence of ethnopharmacology, how it is different from Pharmacognosy, role of physicians in ethnopharmacology and drug discovery, the concept of bioprospecting and the various ethical issues concerning ethnopharmacology.
Arun Suresh has completed his MBBS from AJ Institute of Medical Sciences, Mangalore and he is currently pursuing Post Graduate course in MD Pharmacology at JJM Medical College Davangere, Karnataka.
Email: arun.no.fearz@gmail.com
