TRADITIONAL MEDICINAL PLANTS USED FOR THE TREATMENT OF RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS IN INDIA: A REVIEW

Respiratory system is one of the vital systems of the body which is affected negatively by air pollutants, viral and bacterial infections. These infections can lead to several chronic diseases. Modern medicines can help treat these diseases, but they have several side effects that can further lead to other health-related troubles. In India, many people still use herbal remedies to treat mild infections as first aid. Traditional healers or vaids still use these herbal medicines to treat severe respiratory problems such as asthma, tuberculosis, whooping cough, etc. This review aimed to gather information about medicinal plants used to treat various respiratory problems in different areas of India. Relevant data about various ethnobotanical studies conducted in various country states were extracted from published literature and analyzed. Two hundred thirty-nine plant species belonging to 193 genera and 80 families were. The maximum number of plant species belonged to the family Asteraceae. Solanum was the genus with the maximum number of species. All plant parts, including roots, stem, rhizome, leaves, flowers, fruits, seeds, bark, whole plant, and aerial parts, were used in various herbal preparations. People are now well aware of the benefits of using herbal medicines. The present review will provide first-hand information to explore phytochemicals and pharmacological studies.