A Review On The Need Of Tracing Toxic Substances In Herbal Medicines Used By Traditional Healers In Manipur

We have come across a number of herbal medicines used by local traditional healers of Manipur. And also the treatments of local healers are effective. But most of the herbal medicines used by the local healers consist of not only a single plant but also of a number of plants so that by the action of any one or the other plant the ailment can be cured blindly. Some of the plants might have some adverse effects on other organs and organ systems of the human body. So it is time for the researchers to track all the elements and compounds in the constituents of the herbal medicines used by the local healers. Plants as we know have a number of defensive mechanisms to protect themselves from their enemies like herbivorous animals and insects. Plants do the defensive mechanisms either by developing defensive structures such as thorns, sticky substances etc. or by secreting poisonous chemicals. So in the present paper the need of investigating the organic and inorganic substances present in different parts of the plants used by the local healers is being discussed.