Natural Medicine in chronic disease prevention: Evidence, Mechanism, and Worldwide perspectives

Chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and neurodegenerative disease are some of the health concerns of great importance in the world today. Standard treatments are readily available but fail due to cost and side effects. A preventative option provided in natural medicine is the bioactive compounds. The aim of the study is to evaluate the potential of natural medicine in the prevention of chronic diseases, concentrating on the evidence, mechanisms, and application all over the world. The review included a narrative search conducted in ScienceDirect and Google Scholar. The selection of studies was made that are relevant to natural compounds and preventive mechanisms. The types of data sought to be extracted were type, source, disease target, and biological action of compounds. Nineteen studies were analyzed. More than eight important compounds and polyherbal formulations were preventive in major NCDs. Key mechanisms included antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and metabolic regulation. Examples of compounds worthy of attention were curcumin, Terminalia arjuna, resveratrol, Cinnamon, Calotropis, Berberine, and ginsenosides. There were Asian, African, and Latin American applications. Natural drugs have the potential to be used to prevent chronic diseases due to their multi-targeted effects. Wider use is curtailed by legal gaps and a lack of clinical trials. There is a need to enhance research and policy provisions to make these therapies part of mainstream medical care.