Since time immemorial, mankind has tried to find medications to remove pain and cure various diseases. A Sumerian clay slab from 5000 years ago is the oldest written evidence of the usage of medicinal plants for the preparation of drugs, in which there were 12 recipes referring to over 250 herbs (1). The Chinese book on roots and grasses written by Emperor Shen Nung (c 2500 BC) “Pen T’Sao” described 365 drugs, many of which including Theae folium, Rhei rhisoma, Camphor, Podophyllum, Ginseng, Jimson weed, Yellow gentian, Cinnamon bark, and Ephedra are used even today (2). There are several other age-old books originating from various countries. However, the most prominent one written on medicinal plants is from Dioscorides, “the father of …show more content…
These compound drugs comprised medicinal plants along with drugs of animal and plant origin. If the drug was prepared from a number of medicinal plants, minerals and rare animals, it was highly valued and sold at a premium (6). In the 18th century, Linnaeus (1707-1788) devised a scheme for classifying plant species. In order to name plants, a polynomial system was employed where the first word denoted the genus while the remaining polynomial phrase explained other features of the plant (e.g. the willow Clusius was named Salix pumila angustifolia antera). Linnaeus then, transformed the naming system into a binominal one. Hence, the name of each species consisted of the genus name, with an initial capital letter, followed by the species name, with an initial small letter …show more content…
Many authors claimed that drugs obtained from medicinal plants possessed shortcomings mainly due to the destructive action of enzymes. Moreover, in the 19th century, glycosides and alkaloids, isolated in pure form and used in therapeutics were increasingly supplanting the herbal medicines from which they had been derived. Nevertheless, it was soon ascertained that although the action of pure alkaloids was faster, the effects of plant-derived alkaloid drugs were extensive and long-lasting. Early in the 20th century, stabilization methods for the preparation and use of fresh medicinal plants were proposed. Furthermore, considerable efforts were invested in the study of optimal conditions for cultivating and manufacturing medicinal plants (9) since active components are more abundant from such well-maintained natural sources
Herbal medicine has been around for thousands of years. “The ancient Chinese, Indians, Egyptians, Babylonians, and Native Americans were all herbalists”(Herbs Friends of Physicians). The ancient Greeks and Romans were also herbalists (Herbs Friends of Physicians). Traditional medicine was the dominant medical system used in both rural and urban areas until the arrival of Europeans changed the medical
Medieval medicine was made from herbs, spices, and resins. It was applied in drinks, pills, rubs, baths, washes, ointments, purges, and poultices. Head pains were treated with sweet-smelling herbs. Mixtures of henbane and hemlock were applied to aching joints. Coriander was used to reduce fever. Stomach pains were treated with wormwood, mint, and balm. Lung illnesses were given medical treatment of a medicine which was made up of liquorice and comfrey. Horehound cough syrups and drinks were used for head-colds, cough, and chest congestion. Wounds were cleaned with vinegar as it was bel...
on herbal folk remedies used by Aztec women. It was found that some of herbs they were using
Drug use and abuse is as old as mankind itself. Human beings have always had a desire to eat or drink substances that make them feel relaxed, stimulated, or euphoric. Wine was used at least from the time of the early Egyptians; narcotics from 4000 B.C.; and medicinal use of marijuana has been dated to 2737 B.C. in China. But it was not until the nineteenth century that the active substances in drugs were extracted. There was a time in history when some of these newly discovered substances, such as morphine, laudanum, cocaine, were completely unregulated and prescribed freely by physicians for a wide variety of ailments.
The major use for herbal medicines is for the promotion of health and for therapy for chronic conditions, instead of being used for life-threatening conditions; except in the event of say advanced cancer or new infectious diseases when conventional medicine practices no longer are working an individual may use traditional remedies. While traditional medicines are often mistaken that because they are natural that they are safe, non-toxic, which is not always the case. In cases when an individual is taking herbs with prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, or other herbs that may cause some adverse side affects. As a flourishing commercial enterprise, it doesn’t matter why an individual uses traditional medicines, it provides important health care services for individuals that have access physically or finantually to allopathic
All most every indidula is employing herbal medicine with and without knowing it. Every family has natural remedy to fix a cold or cocation to put on a cut to help make it heal rapidly. Home remedy
medicine, "Herbal," in the 2nd century B.C., and was used in China as an anesthetic 5,000 years ago. The ancient Assyrians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, and East Indians used the drug to control muscle spasms, reduce pain, and to treat indigestion. It was commonly used in folk medicines in Africa and Asia. As early as 1611, marijuana was cultivated for its fiber in Jamestown, Virginia. In 19th century America, marijuana was used by the medical profession for treating spastic conditions, headaches, labor pains, insomnia, and menstrual cramps. It is still used as a medicine in the Middle East and in Asia (9).
Relegated to the standing of people medication for years by the medical institution, flavourer medicines area unit experiencing a revival in quality attributable to the harmful facet effects of the many of today's pharmaceutical medicine. Herbal medication has 3 ancient forms. Western herbalism began in Europe, and crossed over to North America with the eu settlers. Some Native yankee influences will be found in a number of its content. Chinese medication is herb-based, and breaks everything into rule or principle... cooling herbs or heating herbs area
In addition to the hallucinogenic plants used by primitive peoples, numerous other species containing biodynamic principles are known to exist. Many are common household varieties like catnip, cinnamon, and ginger. No reliable studies have been made of the hallucinogenic properties of such plants. Some of the effects reported may have been imaginary; other reports may be outright hoaxes. Nevertheless, many of these plants do have a chemistry theoretically capable of producing hallucinations. Experimentation continues with plants, common and uncommon, known or suspected to be hallucinogenic, and new ones are continually being discovered.
The use of drugs in society has been extensive as far back as 6000B.C when farming was introduced and the fermentation of alcohol was discovered. In nineteenth century Britain narcotics such as Opiates were passed freely between countries and were used frequently in British society including the Royal household at that time. These substances were readily
South and Central American Indians made many prehistoric discoveries of drug-bearing plants. Mexican Aztecs even recorded their properties in hieroglyphics on rocks, but our knowledge of their studies comes mainly from manuscripts of Spanish monks and medical men attached to the forces of the conquistador Hernan Cortes (1485-1547).
Over the centuries, several treatment methods have been utilized by humans for remedy diseases when they caught. Two of them are modern medicine and traditional medicine. Traditional medicine, which is also called alternative treatment, is older than modern medicine. This effective treatment had been used for many centuries before modern medicine was found. On the contrary, modern medicine has been used since the 1900’s (Lyons). In this system, drugs’ tests are carefully done in the safe laboratories, and their side effects are identified before they are given to the patient. Moreover, the effects of the pills are written on the leaflets which are found in the drug packages to warn the patients for these effects. However, sometimes the side effects are not blocked, so people have to take another pill to get better. It makes people take more chemicals into their bodies. Even traditional medicine, give its place to the modern medicine when its beginning times, it is used efficaciously like modern medicine at the present time. In course of time, people will gain reliance on traditional medicine again, since alternative medicine is more efficient and powerful in order to get better and soothe the diseases than modern medicine. In fact, in traditional medicine, there are fewer drugs, side effects, holistic therapy that people can be availed.
When you are sick you take medicine, but there are many remedies for the same problems. The use of herbal remedies traces back to the Chinese in the use of Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well by a compiled book in China written back more than 2,000 years ago (Wachtel-Galor & Benzie, 2011). Modern medicine has roots that are more recent in the development and production of synthesize drugs (Wachtel-Galor & Benzie, 2011). The old generations took herbal remedies to improve their health, but now as time and people, progressed modern medicine comes on top. Herbal and modern medicines have good and bad points, but one has qualities that are more effective.
In conclusion, herbal medicines have been around for a long time. Plenty of our drugs have ingredients from herbs and are still being used today. I would not recommend the use of herbal medicines due to complications it can have on the body unless the physician suggested the product. The more I read up on these herbal medicines the more precautions I came across. I believe these herbal medicines should be reviewed as a drug under the FDA to avoid any health complications for these
Frequently a person believes that herbal medicine is more naturally safe and soothing than drugs. Nevertheless, there’s no reasonable defense about this. Though many consumers trusted herbal medicine much more than the synthetic medicine because it’s safe and effective, but like anything else, it has its own limitations too. There are several hostile issues related to herbal medicine that has been quite alarming. Notwithstanding, majority of the most popular herbs are at least nearly safe.