Medicinal Plants and Their Biomedical Applications: A Review of Therapeutic Potential and Challenges

Medicinal plants have long been integral to traditional medicine systems and are gaining increasing recognition in biomedical science due to their rich array of bioactive compounds. These natural products, including alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, and phenolics, exhibit a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities such as anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, and anticancer effects. This review highlights significant medicinal plants, their phytochemical constituents, and their therapeutic applications. Furthermore, it discusses the current limitations and future potential of integrating plant-based compounds into modern medicine.