Drugs derived from natural resources represent a significant segment of the pharmaceutical market. Traditional systems of medicines like Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) or the European phytotherapy assumed synergistic approach wherein all ingredients of the plants could bring about maximum therapeutic efficacy. Due to the escalated cost of development of pre-clinical synthetic drugs, there has been a Worldwide demand for phytopharmaceuticals. The modern therapy applies more and more combinatorial approach in treatment of diseases like cancer, cardiovascular or rheumatic diseases. High-throughput methods are available to investigate complex mixtures of whole plant extracts and establish synergistic effects for multi-therapeutic target treatments. Demands are increasing to establish open access data banks in a multidisciplinary effort for medicinal plant research with the aim to develop a common standard molecular/therapeutic "bar codes" for characterization of medicinal plants. In the present chapter an attempt has been made to compile information on medicinal plant extracts with respect to their pharmacological attributes to promote wider acceptance and use of these plant-based drugs in main stream of medicine. The mode of action of phytopharmaceuticals as assessed by up/down-regulation of therapeutic target molecules with respect to anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, anti-viral, anti-obesity, antidiabetic and pro-gynecological properties complying with multi-target therapy will be described. This approach further helps scientific validation of plant extracts/bioactive molecules that are already being used in traditional medicine
