Europe PMC · 2026-06-01
Researchers catalogued 81 regional medicinal plant databases published between 2013 and 2025, then deeply analyzed 40 of them. Nearly half are concentrated in Asia, with China and India leading, and the review highlights how these digital repositories are accelerating drug discovery and conservation while exposing major gaps in global standardization.
81 regional medicinal plant databases were identified globally, established or updated between 2013 and 2025, with 40 subjected to detailed statistical analysis.
Asia dominates with 48.1% of databases, led by China and India, while universal databases with global scope are also proliferating rapidly.
These databases support drug discovery, quality control, biodiversity conservation, and policy-making, but interdisciplinary standardization across platforms remains a critical unmet need.