What is Herbal Medicine?

Sometimes referred to as botanical medicine,phytomedicine,or herbalism,herbal medicine is the oldest-known form of healing.It is the use of specific herbs for their medicinal or therapeutic value.

Much of what is known about herbal medicine has been passed down from one generation to the next.Because modern scientific standards of research,hypotheses,experimentation,and analysis have not been part of its development,Western medical experts often relegate the use of medicinal herbs to the realm of alternative medicine.Yet modern medicine makes excellent use of many compounds that have been derived from herbs and other plants.These plant-based substances often serve as the basis for pharmaceutical drugs,which are developed using the scientific method.Herbal medicine has a long tradition of use outside the confines of conventional medicine,and it is becoming more widely accepted,as improvements in plant analysis and quality control as well as advances in clinical research are made.

Many of today’s drugs,including prescription pharmaceuticals,have a long,storied history of use as simple herbal remedies.Among them are aspirin,digitalis,opium,and quinine.In all,there are well over 100 active plant compounds widely used in modern medicine.Of those,80 percent correlate positively between traditional uses of derivative plant species and modern uses for pharmaceuticals.Aspirin,for example,is derived from willow bark which people from various parts of the world use as a simple,effective pain medication.

Herbal remedies remain popular in Europe,where prescription drugs can be found alongside herbal extracts and essential oils.In India,herbal medicine is so popular that the nation’s government has created a special department,the National Medicinal Plants Board,to provide oversight of the herbal medical system.

Herbs are widely used today.The benefits of herbal medicine are vast .There are thousands of herbs with thousands of different uses.Recognition is growing about the important part medicinal herbs can play in maintaining health and managing common ailments.The more you know about using herbal medicine,the more involved you can become in managing your own well-being.