Disclosed is the use use of an extract in the prevention, elimination, treatment and management of infections and diseases caused by virus, fungi, bacteria, and protozoa in a human and animal subject, said extract comprising the lipophilic constituents of the Scrophulariaceae family of plants, the major said lipophilic constituent therein being one or more of the terpenes and fatty acids of said family of plants. Further disclosed is a process of extraction for the plant matter from one or more plants of the Scrophulariaceae family of plants comprising the steps of obtaining the plant matter to be extracted； subjecting the said plant matter to a preparatory operation as required such as cutting, chopping, blanching, drying, crushing, grinding, sieving or others； contacting the plant matter from the preparatory step with a pre-determined non-aqueous solvent, series of solvents, or a solvent mixture, that preferentially extracts the lipophillic components in the plant matter at pre-determined temperature and for a pre-determined duration of time in one or more extraction operations arranged in series, or parallel or a hybrid arrangement, separation of the extract solution from the plant matter in process by any of the known means； separating the solvent from the extract solution by any of the known means such as evaporation of the solvent to yield either a concentrated extract solution, or a solid form, product, said process optionally including any one or more of known processing operations such as, for example, decantation, filtration and others.
