ABSTRACT
The ethnobotanical approach is increasingly being used for the development of new plant-based pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and food products. Its prevalence as a factor of aptitude and novelty is more and more valued by the demand for natural products, with social significance, or with cultural identity. The use of this traditional knowledge by industry requires a scientific basis that endorses and justifies this practice. However, many variables should be considered to optimize the ethnobotanical resource itself. A systematic study (botanical, phytochemical, and pharmacological) of native flora can provide a better insight into its potential for providing new products. We have chosen the genus Aloysia in Argentina, to illustrate what can be achieved and what needs to be done to support and assess the herbal tradition.
