alternative-medicine
Alternative medicine encompasses healing practices that often rely on plant-based remedies but typically lack rigorous scientific evidence or established biological mechanisms. For plant scientists, this field represents an important research area where systematic investigation can identify which plant compounds genuinely possess bioactive properties and validate traditional botanical knowledge where evidence supports efficacy, while distinguishing these from unsupported claims.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-03-27
Researchers analyzed 20 years of studies on plant-based treatments for antibiotic-resistant infections, finding that research is increasingly driven by Asian countries and shifting toward newer treatment approaches like nano-medicine and combination therapies.
1,468 publications across 535 journals analyzed (2004-2024), with China (526) and India (427) dominating research output
Research leadership shifted from Western-centered to Global South-led collaboration networks, marking a major geographical restructuring in the field
Thematic progression from ethnobotanical screening toward advanced strategies including nanoformulations and dual-action antimicrobial/anti-inflammatory compounds