Medicines from Plants

Why are plants so important? Materials extracted from plants are used in about 50% of the medicines used in the western world. Products from plants are often cheaper and safer than man made (synthetic) ones. To identify which plants are useful, scientists study traditional folklore and observe their practices. Many of the chemicals withdrawn from plants have been used by natives for many years.

Antimicrobial Compounds Many plants produce antimicrobial compounds e.g. Ethiopian Pepper & Grains of Paradise – both used by tribes-people for coughs, after giving birth, killing parasitic worms and dysentery. Scientists have found that they have compounds which kill bacteria and fungi.

Loss of species Many plant species are becoming endangered and extinct. Some plants will have become extinct without ever having been discovered and may have had medicinal properties which we did not know about. They are becoming extinct due to forests being cut down and cleared. Kew Gardens in London are working to conserve these plant species.

Kew Gardens Use your textbooks to complete the following tasks: Describe the work being carried out by Kew to conserve different plant species. Explain the difference between in situ and ex situ conservation. Complete q’s 1-5 on page 103.