Medicinal Plants and Their Pharmaceutical Properties Under Adverse Environmental Conditions

Abstract

Medicinal plants are used globally as a valuable source for new drug formulations. They are important to human life from ancient times and have since been used to cure different types of ailments. Their growth, development, overall yield, and production of bioactive compounds such as secondary metabolites are adversely affected by environmental fluctuations (mainly under major abiotic stress conditions). Production of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants also depends on harvest time, seasons, soil type, nutrient supply, altitude, geographical location, stage of plant (juvenile or mature stage), and genotypes or cultivars. The presence of secondary metabolites in medicinal plants has shown several biological and pharmacological activities. Thus, they are important in new drug formulation. Additionally, several secondary metabolites are involved in signaling and controlling the attack of herbivores, microbes, and other plants. This chapter focuses on the secondary metabolites obtained from medicinal plants, their variation at different developmental stages, and the overall impact of resilient environmental conditions on their production.