Bioactive Natural Molecules and Traditional Herbal Medicine in the Treatment of Airways Diseases

The use of herbal medicines has been documented throughout recorded history including Assyrian clay tablets (2000 BC) and the Egyptian Ebers Papyrus (1550 BC) and in Ayurveda works from 900 BC. In addition, Hippocrates, Dioscorides, Galen, Paracelsus, and Arab scholars in Europe kept detailed notes regarding the use of medicinal plants. In the modern era, the research of natural bioactive molecules began with the isolation of morphine from opium latex in 1805 by Serturner. A famous bioactive compound isolated from plants, salicylic acid, was isolated from willow bark in the 19th century. In 1900, Bayer patented a derivative of the compound to treat pain and inflammation and sold it under the brand name aspirin. Numerous other natural compounds have been discovered and used for the treatment of diseases.