ABSTRACT
Plants have been used medicinally for thousands of years, but in some parts of the world, this use has diminished as single-entity pharmaceuticals have come to dominate the marketplace (Croom and Walker, 1995). Recent disillusionment with the conventional Western medical establishment coupled with the perception that traditional and natural ingredients are inherently safer and more healthful than are synthetic ingredients has led to a resurgence in the popularity of herbs (Der Marderosian, 1977). In certain parts of the world, continued use of medicinal plants is based on expense of synthetic drugs and consequent unavailability (Vollmer et al., 1987; Bakhiet and Adam, 1995). In developed nations, many consumers look to herbs as safer, more natural alternatives to synthetic or highly purified drugs. Unfortunately, historical use does not always guarantee safety, and many of the herbs used medicinally are also mentioned in monographs on poisonous plants.
