Herbal Interventions in the Management of Pulmonary Diseases: Pharmacological Insights

Asthma, chronic obstructive lung disease, lung fibrosis and respiratory infections all contribute significantly to the global health burden. The limitations of traditional pharmaceutical therapy, such as adverse reactions, resistance to medications, and prolonged toxicity, have sparked interest in herbal therapies as additional or alternative therapeutic techniques. Medicinal plants contain a variety of bioactive compounds, such as flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenoids, and polyphenols, which have bronchial dilation, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immune-modulating, and antibacterial properties. This chapter gives an in-depth review of herbal therapies used in the treatment of pulmonary illnesses, focusing on their pharmacological pathways and experimental data. Traditional herbs, including Zingiber officinale, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Curcuma longa, and Salvia miltiorrhiza, are examined in terms of their molecular targets and medicinal applications. The chapter also discusses the challenges, safety concerns, and potential for incorporating medicinal plants into evidence-based pulmonary therapy.