Lifestyle diseases are of growing concern and lead to reduced life span. The current therapies for treatment of life-threatening diseases have many undesirable side effects. Therefore, identification of safer and more effective treatment options for diseases is needed in modern drug discovery. Herbs and spices play pivotal role in the prevention and treatment of several diseases. This review thus focuses on such naturals in combating common diseases such as cancer, diabetes, arthritis, cardiovascular diseases, tuberculosis, malaria, liver disorders, kidney problems, asthma, etc. It focuses on 200 medicinal plants and 2258 bioactive components with potent therapeutic activities, highlighting their phytochemistry and pharmacognosy. All the plants exhibit pharmacological potency against prevalent ailment, necessitating further studies on mechanism of action of their bioactive compounds.
Key words: Medicinal herbs; Spices; Bioactive principles; Diseases
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