Chemopreventive Activity of Mediterranean Medicinal Plants

Abstract

Generally, the use of plants, herbs or other natural products in medicines is since humans inhabited earth. It was “since ever” when humans were trying to find out which plants might be useful to fight several pains and aches, fever, dyspepsia, or wounds. Through the ages, humans learned which plants would cure different illnesses, or might be poisonous and cause even death, and those that could be part of their diet. There are too many examples and references in the pharmaceutical, knowledge that passed from generation to generation. There is ample historical evidence for different usages of herbs by our ancestors. Herbs are the oldest drugs in the world. The initial use was primarily experimental similar to what applied to animals, e.g. against poisonous plants. The first record of the valuable properties of medicinal plants was by the Sumerians (6000 BC), followed by Chinese and Greek. The first book written about herbal plants was by Chinese (4000 BC). However, Greeks were these who spread the use of medicinal plants in West using the knowledge written down by Theophrastus (300 BC). Apollonios wrote about their uses in cosmetology and in religious ceremonies. Hippocrates recommended Pimbinella anisum, of the Umbelliferae family for sneezing and Theophrastus indicated the usefulness of 600 aromatic and medicinal plants in several pathologies. In ancient Rome, Galenus who was the personal physician to Roman emperors and is nowadays considered as “The Father of Pharmacy” was most devoted to aromatherapy. Reports about the uses of essential oils occur even in the Bible, and it was approximately during the 8th century AD when the Arabs improved the methods of extracting the essential oils from natural products and creating novel elixirs and medicines. During the Middle Ages, the essential oils producers were not affected by cholera and plague. During the Renaissance, the use of plants, essential oils, herbs and several other natural products was progressively neglected. The revolution of Chemistry and the synthesis of drugs resulted in almost complete abandonment. However, the impressive results of treating traumas with different botanical products during the two World Wars motivated scientists to further deal the potential of natural products in disease treatment. Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), perhaps the most popular painkiller, has a very long history and its medical use stretches back to antiquity. Medicines made from willow and other salicylate-rich plants date back at least to 400 BC. Willow bark extract became recognized for its specific effects on fever, pain and inflammation in the mid-