Diet and Herbal-Derived Medicines

The popularity in utilization of the plant-based remedies has increased worldwide over the last 30 years. One of the main reasons for this increased popularity is probably the belief that natural product-based diet and herbal-based preparations have been used for centuries and that natural products are safe. In parallel with the revival of interest in the traditional foods and medicinal plants, there is also an intensive research activity dealing with their safety and efficacy in prevention and treatment of wide range of illnesses as well as with their action mechanisms at cell biological, biochemical and molecular biological levels. The modern clinical medicine is now beginning to accept the utilization of botanical-based preparations once their efficacy and safety are scientifically investigated and validated. As a result, there is an increasing trend in many countries in to incorporate herbal-derived preparations as an obligatory course in the medical curriculum. This introductory chapter will provide a brief introduction to medicinal plants, including their therapeutic aspects and safety. In addition, the various major types of active compounds will be discussed.