Finally, as described above, not all of the bioactive anti-HSV
molecules responsible for the activity of plant extracts have been
identified, isolated, synthesized and tested, though the amount of
information on anti-HSV plant extracts is relatively high. The
complexity of the components of any given herb and the
restriction of available technologies are two crucial causes of this
lack of detailed data. The most promising extracts and fractions
of natural materials should undergo further isolation and
purification steps in an attempt to identify the active ingredients
and clarify the chemical nature and mechanisms of action of
these potent anti-HSV molecules. Additionally, integrative
approaches in chemical biology may have the potential to
provide significant insight into the mechanism of anti-HSV
action of the treatments used in traditional Chinese medicine.