Documenting medicinal plants for advancing herbal medicine in the Caribbean

RESUMO

The correct identification of a plant is crucial to the development of the herbal industry in the Caribbean. The common names used for plants may be more familiar to the general public but they can vary from place to place. Therefore there is uncertainty as to what is/are the plant/plants used in a particular herbal preparation. Accurate plant identification using the scientific name of the plant and vouchering specimens in a reliable public institution are the first steps in meeting the international standards for Good Manufacturing Practices as required for an herbal industry