The role of community in discovery of new drugs from herbal medicines

Medicinal plants are a good source of new drugs. An important approach in developing a new drug from medicinal plants is to examine scientifically the usage claimed in traditional medicine. Using medicinal plants throughout centuries provided valuable information that will be critical when they are evaluating as new drugs, because, the judgment on the efficacy and safety of a specific drug can rarely be found in the results of the scientific studies. In contrast, the scientific information published on toxicity and efficacy of a particular plant, resulted from some studies, together with the anecdotal evidence, can help whether it might be acceptable for medicinal use.