Introduction

Abstract

A pharmaceutical is a substance used in healing, relieving pain, or for treating disease. Pharmaceuticals have likely been in the environment since humans or other species have been on the earth. People have accessed and used pharmaceuticals present in natural products such as plants. Ancient to recent history provides examples (or likely often correct assertions) that pharmaceuticals were used by early peoples and were present in plants (Ji et al. 2009; Dias et al. 2012; Newman et al. 2000; Cragg et al. 2005). Paracelsus tried to assess the potency of pharmaceuticals in the 16th century (Sonnedecker 1976). There is a report of Neanderthals possibly using pollen containing medicinals to treat themselves approximately 60,000 years ago (Ji et al. 2009). Monographs and books document the uses of natural products as pharmaceuticals (Blumenthal et al. 1998, Roberts et al. 1999).