A plant is a formidable chemical laboratory that produces (biosynthesizes) an incredible number of biologically active molecules.

Plants lack mobility; they are stationary organisms, but they develop a large surface area (leaves, roots), and their size increases continuously throughout their life. Plant growth is indefinite. Furthermore, plants do not have a central nervous system; the only coordination between organs is through the hormonal system, which influences the development of various organs.

Plants have no other weapons for survival than chemistry (primary metabolites) and for living (secondary metabolites).

Herbal medicinal preparations are increasingly being chosen by patients, to the point that the World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that 80% of the world’s population uses plants for medical purposes. This is not surprising when we consider that phytotherapy, or the use of medicinal plant derivatives, has deep historical roots, accompanying humanity over the millennia.

However, the use of plant-based products today requires particular attention to the quality standards of the components, production processes, and safety of the final product, especially since “natural” does not equate to being healthy, harmless, or curative.

Plant-based medicines fully meet these criteria and represent the best therapeutic opportunity among the range of botanical-based products available on the market.

What is a Plant-based Medicine?
A plant-based medicine is primarily a pharmaceutical drug, subject to all pharmaceutical legislation. It differs from the classic synthetic chemical drug by a remarkable feature: its active ingredients are not synthetic molecules, but phytocomplexes.

A characteristic feature of plant-derived medicines, compared to isolated active ingredients, is the presence of the phytocomplex. This is a complex mixture containing multiple chemical compounds that, through their interactions, can induce synergistic effects compared to individual active ingredients. Biological mixtures of plant and animal origin are the result of evolutionary processes, not a random assembly of molecules.

These elements are part of the plant’s “drug,” i.e., the part of the medicinal plant used for therapeutic purposes, and each plays a distinct role. The term “biochemical entity” refers to a unique whole, naturally derived from the plant, an organic collection of biologically active natural substances.

The phytocomplex naturally expresses all these substances together, much like an orchestra: it is a harmonious ensemble of natural substances that work in synergy, with the final action being the result of the agreement of all the parts.

The phytocomplex is the heart of the plant: through extraction, which depends on the plant part of pharmacological interest (known as the “drug,” i.e., the part of the plant containing active substances), an extract of the phytocomplex is obtained.

Standardizing and titrating a phytocomplex represents one of the critical stages of the production process, considering that each phytocomplex can contain up to several hundred different molecules. The concentration of active ingredients in each production batch is influenced by numerous variables such as the harvest year, climate, humidity, temperature, and others.

Furthermore, a plant-based medicine:

  • Guarantees the standardization of the active ingredient (chemical marker) and the final product, certifying stability, reproducibility, consistency in the concentration of the entire phytochemical profile, and thus a guaranteed therapeutic effect.
  • Has approved and proven therapeutic indications, therefore, a curative action.
  • Possesses a high safety profile.
  • Is authorized and guaranteed by the institution: it is authorized with an AIC (marketing authorization) and cannot be marketed without prior authorization from AIFA (Italian Medicines Agency) in the case of Italy.

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5 Comments

  1. I am not sure where youre getting your info but good topic I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more Thanks for magnificent info I was looking for this information for my mission

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