Disease is as old as life itself and man has always been in search of agents to cure diseases. Medicinal plants and herbs have been used for the eradication of disease and human suffering since antiquity. Plants that possess therapeutic properties or exert beneficial pharmacological effects on an organism are generally known as “medicinal plants”. Many indigenous medicinal plants are being discovered everyday. Medicinal plants used in traditional medicine should be collected at the right time, the right season and the right stage of their growth so that the constituents can be optimally harvested. Several medicinal plants have been used us dietary adjunct and in the treatment of numerous diseases without proper knowledge of their function. Although phytotherapy continues to be used in several countries, few medicinal plants have received scientific and medical scrutiny. Moreover, a large number of medicinal plants possess some degree of toxicity. It is reported that one third of medicinal plants used in the treatment of diabetes are considered to be toxic. Some recent studies showed the medicinal value of mangroves and associated plants persist to provide invaluable treatment modalities, both in modern and traditional systems of medicine. This Review article focusses the medicinal properties of mangroves.
Mangroves, Medicine, Compounds, Therapy, Potential.
