Medicinal Plants of Egypt

Abstract

Facing the challenges of its national development, Egypt is reforming its economy through optimisation of resources and increasing productivity. Agriculture accounts for 18% of the National Gross Production (GNP), one third of the employment and 20% of the commodity exports. Egypt exports many agricultural products e.g. cotton, citrus and many aromatic and spices. The exported spices account for a total value of 400.0 million E.L (Anonymous 1998). The medicinal plants in Egypt represent a new promising resource as there is a relatively high representation of medicinal species in the native flora, environmental conditions exist that may induce the accumulation of a high concentration of secondary metabolites and there is a large market demand with higher economic value than other crops.