African indigenous plants with chemotherapeutic potentials and biotechnological approach to the production of bioactive prophylactic agents
Keywords:
Antioxidants, chemotherapy, medicinal plants, biotechnology, tissue culture, phytochemicals, prophylaxis, african plants, herbs, natural products.Abstract
Undoubtedly medicinal plants are relevant in both developing and developed nations of the world as
sources of drugs or herbal extracts for various chemotherapeutic purposes. Also the use of plant
derived natural compounds as part of herbal preparations as alternative sources of medicaments
continues to play major roles in the general wellness of people all over the world. The African continent
contains some of the richest biodiversity in the world, and abounds in plants of economic importance
and plants of medicinal importance which when developed would reduce our expenditure on imported
drugs to meet our health needs. Herbal-based and plant-derived products can be exploited with
sustainable comparative and competitive advantage. This review presents some indigenous African
plants with chemotherapeutic properties and possible ways of developing them into potent
pharmacological agents using biotechnological approaches.
