The history of the phytotherapy
Medicinal plants have been used for medicinal purposes long before recorded history. For example, ancient papyrus writings Egyptians and Chinese describe the medicinal uses of plants. Indigenous cultures (eg, African and Native American) used herbs in their healing rituals, while others developed traditional medical systems of medicine (eg Ayurveda, traditional Chinese), in which plant-based treatments have been used systematically. Scientists have discovered that people are different parts of the world tend to use the same or similar plants for the same purpose.
In the 19th century, when chemical analysis methods, was made available, scientists began extracting and modifying the active ingredients of the plants. Later, chemists began making their own version of plant compounds, beginning the transition from raw herbs for pharmaceuticals synthesis. Over time, the use of herbal medicines declined in favor of pharmaceuticals.
Today, herbal medicine
Recently, the World Health Organization estimates that 80% of people worldwide rely on herbal plants for medicinal aspects of their primary care health. During the past twenty years, the United States, increasing public dissatisfaction with the cost, effectiveness and possible side effects prescription drugs, combined with an interest in returning to natural or organic remedies, has led to increased use of medicinal plants. In countries like Germany and Switzerland, around 600 to 700 medicinal plants are prescribed in 70% of physicians.
How do herbs work?
For most herbs used in the medicinal herbs, the specific ingredient that causes a therapeutic effect is unknown. Herbs integral contain many ingredients, and is likely to act synergistically to produce therapeutic effects. Many factors affect the effectiveness of an herb will be. For example, the type of environment (climate, bugs, soil quality, altitude, etc.) in which a plant grew will affect their constituents. Also, how and when it was extracted and processing also affect the quality of extracted herbal involved.
How do plants use? For reasons described in the previous section, herbalists prefer using whole plant extracts of the plant or parts, such as roots, flowers, seeds, etc., instead of extracting individual active ingredients of them. The plant extracts have many components and are generally too complex to make synthetically by the pharmaceutical industry.
These factors include drugs work together to produce grass therapeutic effects, while at the same time, mitigate the negative effects often associated with pharmaceutical preparations. Several herbs are often used together to enhance effectiveness and synergistic actions and reduce toxicity.
The Herbal medicines are safe?
In a study by the World Health Organization on the use of herbal medicine, on 80% of the world's population still depend on medicinal plants for treating certain diseases, and about 74% of the drugs we use today contain at least one botanical element.
For example, Chinese herbal medicine use ephedra, which contains ephedrine in the treatment of certain respiratory diseases. Ephedrine remains an active ingredient of many drugs prescribed to relieve symptoms of asthma.
Herbal medicine is defined by three schools of thought: Ayurvedic botanical, Traditional Chinese and Western Herbal Medicine Herbalist. While both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine herbal developed advanced forms, western herbal medicine remains a part of treatment traditional. Herbal medicine is first and foremost, holistic. It aims to address not just a particular symptom, but also help the body to strengthen rejuventate.
Research
Research in herbal medicine is increasing and evidence of effectiveness is growing at a rapid pace. Universities as Meryland University Medical Center, publish good quality information in the investigation of herbal medicine, herbs and other aspects of alternative medicine.
Disclaimer
Always keep in mind that the drugs the drugs to herbal and therefore should be considered as carefully as pharmaceutical drugs. Some people have the misconception that because herbs are natural, that are 100% secure. This is not true. Allways consult a complete, experienced medical herbalist for their health problems assessed and treated.
About the Author:
Steven Maszlagi has been promoting the benefits of herbal and alternative treatments through such websites as HerbalWorks for many years. He is a passionate believer in the power of herbal remedies over chemical based unnatural solutions.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – The History of Herbal Medicine
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