Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Belgrade , Belgrade , Serbia
Pain is a conscious, unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with the existing (current) tissue damage. In general, pain is whatever the patient says it hurts. In the literature we can find many definitions of pain, but in life this is really the most uncomfortable feeling that occurs in the body, and therefore is not surprising that the best selling medicine today are drugs with analgesic activity (painkillers). One of the most commonly used conventional painkillers today is aspirin, and the main active substance is acetyl - salicylic acid. Salicylates like substances used to relieve inflammation and pain are more present in the nature than the people know. Natural salicylates rarely cause ulcers and other changes in the digestive tract. However, due to a number of side effects of synthetic painkillers, there is an increase of patients who are turning to traditional methods of treatment. In the nature we can find a large number of medicinal plants that exhibit analgesic effect. They are also a valuable source of substances of natural origin, potential analgesics. However, it should be noted that the use of medicinal plants, as the basis of folk medicine, is not always completely safe and without side effects. Therefore, attention should be directed towards a detailed study of the chemical composition and biological activity of medicinal plants in order to confirm its efficacy and safety of use as analgesics.
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