1.

Read the following passage carefully. The growing focus on medicinal plants is becoming the solution to the health problem in the present world. Due to this awareness, trade in plants with medicinal value is growing internationally. Most of the third world countries view medicinal plants as an important part of their culture. However, the practice of traditional medicine suffered a greater setback during colonial times in most African and Asian countries, thus losing patronage especially in urban settings. Today, these countries still suffer from the effects of colonialism as they still prefer synthetic medicine as a primary choice in the treatment of disease and other ailments. The impact of preferring these synthetic medicines is hitting many third world countries, as most rural people lack primary health care services. The use of medicinal plants in treatment of diseases has been documented in the history of civilizations. In pre-historic period, man was unaware of health hazards and problems which come with plant therapy. With intensive research in medicine, it has been found that plants contain active principles responsible for curative actions. Before the synthetic era, man completely depended on herbal medicines for the treatment and prevention of diseases.With the introduction of the scientific method and procedures, scientist and researchers are now able to understand the toxic and curative principles in plants. After thorough isolation and testing the scientists have found out that actually medicinal plants are therapeutically active, some of these include; Morphine, Atisine, Lobeline, Digoxin, and Atropine.Herbal products are effaceable beyond question, for example the novel herbal products of Silmarin (Silybum marianum, Family), Artemesinin (Artemisia annua, Family) and Taxol (Taxus baccata, Family) have outworked the efficacy of other recognized remedies like Ginkgo biloba (Family), and Hyperricum perforatum (Family) known for curing depression and stress (Jan, 2006).According to Defeudis, scientific researchers in the recent past have come up to support the presence of medicinal activities in herbs recently, by carrying out research that can be found in the scientific literature. These include herbs that produce an exceptional molecule to fight cancer and other diseases. In so doing, medicinal plants like mezerien (Daphne mezereum, Family), elephantpoin (Elephatopus elatus, Family), and allamandin (Allamanda cathratica,) have shown a recommendable significant effect towards inhibiting some tumors.A. On the basis of your reading of the above passage make notes on it, using headings and sub-headings. Use recognizable abbreviations (wherever necessary— minimum four) and a format you consider suitable. Also supply an appropriate title to it.B. Write a summary of the passage in about 80 words.

Answer»

A. TITLE: Medicinal Plants – A Natural Way to Health

NOTES: 

1. Facts about medicinal plants: 

1. seen as a sol to disease 

2. part of cult of 3rd world 

2. Impact of synthetic med 

1. med’l plants lost poplrity 

2. rural people hard hit as have no access to primary health care 

3. History of plant therapy 

1. part of all civilzn 

2. before synthetic med man depended on plants for cure 

4. Research on plant revealed: 

1. toxic, curative nature of plants 

2. herbal med effaceable beyond doubt 

3. can cure stress, depression 

4. plants like allamandin can cure cancer by inhibiting tumors 

Key to Abbreviations

sol : solution 

cult : culture 

poplrity : popularity 

civilzn : civilization 

med : medicine 

med’l : medicinal 

B. SUMMARY 

Medicinal plants are being seen as a solution to diseases. They have always been a part of the culture of the third world countries. With the popularity of synthetic medicines the use of plant therapy declined due to which the rural poor were hard hit since they had no access to primary health care. Historically civilizations have always depended on plants for cure. Scientific research on plants has revealed that they indeed have curative powers and can cure stress and depression. Allamandin can even cure cancer by inhibiting tumor.



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