Traditional Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects

The worldwide popularity of herbal supplements, as well as the promise they hold in treating a variety of diseases, has sparked a surge in research into the molecular foundation of traditional treatments' biological activity. The potent antioxidant effects of herbs and spices have been explored in the last decade due to the strong links between oxidative stress, ageing, and disease. The herbs included are some of the most commonly used treatments, and they include flowering herbs, fruits and berries, roots and rhizomes, and fungi, among others. The use of mass spectrometry and chemometric fingerprinting technology in the authentication of herbs has also been investigated in the last decade to assist provide a new level of quality control to the production of herbal extracts. There is a requirement for rigorous scientific study of herbal medicines as the demand for effective, inexpensive health promotion and treatment expands, especially in the growing elderly population.