Phytochemicals—God’s Endowment of Curative Power in Plants

Abstract

Phytochemicals-God's Endowment of Curative Power in Plants tried to review the link between the knowledge of God's pronouncement on plants as man's source of food and drugs in the Holy Bible to the scientific proofs of the availability of phytochemicals in different species of plants. The abundance of plants in the world as vegetables, spices, fruits, etc. of which more than 80% of their chemical compositions have not been discovered emphasizes the reasons for the search of these phytochemicals as alternative drug sources which are safer and relatively cheaper. Literature is reviewed on different phytochemicals such as alkaloids, saponins, tannins, anthraquinones, and glycosides in the form of cardiac and cyanogenetic glycosides, flavonoids, carotenoids, and phenols considering their chemical properties and their usefulness to man. This review confirmed the outburst that said "the world is too much with us; late and soon, getting and spending, we lay waste our powers: Little we see in nature that is ours." Therefore, there is an urgent need to search for these various phytochemicals in plants so that we can utilize the potentials in these free gifts from God and not lay waste the curative power endowed on them purposely for man's health benefits.

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants of Pashat Valley, Bajaur, along Pakistan–Afghanistan border: a mountainous region of the Hindu Kush Range

“…The chemical constituents of the medicinal plant may interact with each other; this interaction can be either beneficial or adverse to each other or eliminate the effects of both (Jamshidi‐Kia et al 2018). The therapeutic potentials of these plants are the phytochemicals that physiologically act on the human body (Ogunmefun 2018). These phytochemicals are the natural compounds found in different parts of the plant such as leaves, stems, roots, bark, flowers, fruits and seeds, used in pharmacological drugs to cure the various type of diseases (Bent 2008, Barbieri et al 2017).…”

Phytochemical Analysis and In-vitro Antioxidant Activities of Some Selected Higher Fungi from Oyo State, South West of Nigeria

“…Many plants and herbal items include a number of chemical components known as secondary metabolites that combine to produce therapeutic effects. Given that they have fewer or no side effects as compared to conventional synthetic medications and that many natural therapies have their own curative powers, the therapeutic properties of many plants and herbal items are becoming more and more well-known and preferred [14]. The phytochemicals that medicinal plants and herbs create for defense are quite abundant, and it is these components that give them their therapeutic properties [15].…”