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Herbal medicine is the use of plant and herb
extracts for their therapeutic value. Most plants contain and produce chemical
substances that aid in healing and other physical treatments.
Herbal medicine is the oldest form of healthcare and constitutes a key role in
the development of modern medicine as we know it today. Back when technology was
still unheard of, primitive men utilized the vast flora around them to the
fullest extent, observing both plant and animal life and their components,
eventually giving birth to herbal medicine. In a study by the World Health
Organization on herbal medicine use, about 80% of the world's populace still
rely on herbal medicine to cure certain ailments and about 74% of the drugs we
use today contain at least one botanical element. For instance, Chinese Herbal
Medicine's use of ephedrine to cure respiratory conditions still exists in the
present time. Ephedrine remains an active ingredient in most of the commercial
drugs that are being prescribed to relieve asthma symptoms.
Herbal medicine is defined by three schools of thought: Ayurvedic Herbalism,
Traditional Chinese Herbalism and Western Herbal Medicine. While both Ayurvedic
and Chinese herbal medicine have moved on to advanced forms, western herbal
medicine remains a part of folk treatments. Herbal medicine is, first and
foremost, holistic. It aims to address not just a particular symptom, but also
to help the whole body rejuvenate strengthen itself. And while there is no
scientific evidence that all herbal medicines claiming to have healing powers
are actually effective, the number the herbal medicines that have been placed
under clinical testing have proved their worth. The list of known kinds includes
Echinacea, which is used to temper colds, St John's wort, used to treat mild
depression (without using Prozac), and Hawthorne berries, which help in the
recovery process from mild heart failures.
Is herbal medicine a direct substitute to modern medication? It depends. While
herbal medicines are extracted naturally from plants, not all are safe to use;
particularly if they are taken with other types of treatments that may not be
complementary. Also, herbal medicine is often used only for mild ailments. If
the symptoms are more serious, it is best to consult a trained practitioner of
herbal medicine who can tell you which ones are appropriate and recommend dosage
levels and frequency. Presently, most of the recommended herbal medicines fall
outside of standard drug regulations, thus, not all of their claims to fame are
guaranteed and true. And even as common sense tells us that herbal medicine has
been around for thousand of years, giving an impression that it is quite an
authority, it is not recommended to self-diagnose.
Always keep in mind that herbal medicines are still medicines and, therefore,
share the likelihood of having side effects as regular commercial drugs. Some of
us have this misconception that because herbal medicines are natural, they are
100% safe. This is not true all the time. The best defense against the possible
side effects herbal medicines might give is to educate ourselves with the basics
on the herbal medicine in question and to use it with caution. |
