Plants/ Contents

Medicinal plants

Abdul Latiff Mohamad

Plants have been used for thousands of years to treat man's illnesses and injuries. Despite the tremendous advances made by modern medical practices, traditional medicine is still the only form of health care for about 75 per cent of the world's population. In Malaysia, cures have been derived from roots, stems, leaves, fruits and bark for generations. Today, traditional medicine is used to complement modern medicine. The medicinal value of plants is recognized by the Malaysian Government, universities and research and conservation bodies, and steps are being taken to preserve this biological resource.

  • Information in the full article includes
  • Recent history
  • Potions, poultices and decoctions
I.H. Burkill

I.H. Burkill's A Dictionary of the Economic Products of the Malay Peninsula (1935) is one of the earliest and most comprehensive records of the uses of plant species found in the Peninsula.