Растителни биологичноактивни вещества (БАВ) за овладяване и лечение на болка: минало, настояще и перспективи
Naturally occurring plant-derived substances as pain releifs: past, present and future

Summary/Abstract: The earliest written records, more than 5000 years ago, describe the use of various forms of natural products to manage and treat pain. Herbal substances with a pronounced analgesic effect are represented in ancient Greek, Roman, Arabic and ancient Egyptian manuscripts. The most striking examples of such natural products are the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) and willow bark (Salix spp.). Nowadays, two of the most widely used classes of drugs for pain management (opioids and anti-inflammatory agents) are also of plant origin. The main objective of this study is to present a problem-oriented review of pain relievers applied in the past and nowadays derived from plant sources based on scientific reports. A retrospective review of scientific publications published during the period 2013-2023 was conducted. The literature review shows the great potential of natural substances derived from herbs for pain relief. Also, biologically active substances of plant origin show tremendous potential for the development of novel compounds with desired pharmacological profiles (i.e., minimal side effects and low toxicity).

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