From the Field into the Lab: Contribution of Traditional Knowledge to Modern Medicine

Abstract

The contribution of traditional knowledge to modern medicine has been
recognized as it provides valuable clues to the scientific community for drug
discovery. Although western science was reluctant to recognize its contribution
until recently, there is growing interest in traditional knowledge in recent years.
There are well-established cases of traditional knowledge from around the world
that have led to drug discovery. There is also a huge potential to explore this area
in Nepal. In this short communication, we discussed some examples of traditional
knowledge that are the source of clues for drug discovery, and also discussed the
prospects of traditional knowledge and bioprospecting in Nepal. We hope that
this brief article is of interest to readers outside the traditional knowledge and
biodiversity domain.