ABSTRACT
Plants have been used medicinally for as long as human life has existed. They produce and accumulate many phytochemicals, referred to as secondary metabolites, which ascribed to the plants their medicinal benefits. In Guyana, many native plants have traditional medicinal uses including Senna alata, used for the treatment of ringworm, and Senna bicapsularis, the leaves of which are macerated and used externally to treat rashes, skin eczema, ringworm, and thrush. Moreover, Pityrogramma calomelanosis is effective against some species of Candida as well as being a potential source of natural products to combat the fungus Curvularia lunata. Cymbopogon citratus is used against coughs, filaria, malaria, pneumonia, and vascular disease, whereas Cajanus cajan is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat pain and as a sedative. Plectranthus amboinicus is traditionally used for the treatment of many medical ailments such as anorexia, cephalalgia, cholera, chronic asthma, cough, diarrhea, malarial fever, and otalgia. Plants in Guyana which exhibit antifungal properties include C. citratus, C. cajan, P. amboinicus, S. alata, S. bicapsularis, and P. calomelanos. These medicinal characteristics can be attributed to the numerous phytochemical constituents of the respective plants, some of which include alkaloids, essential oil, flavonoids, resin glycosides, saponins, and volatile oils. The knowledge outlined on the usage of medicinal plants will assist in strategizing responses to various challenges from infections, and to direct research orientation in exploiting the benefits of these medicinal plants.
