The history of herbal medicine

Plants had been used for medicinal purposes long before recorded history. Ancient Chinese & Egyptian papyrus writings report medicinal makes use of for plants. Indigenous cultures (such as African & Native American) used herbs in their healing rituals, while others developed traditional medical systems (such as Ayurveda & Traditional Chinese Medicine) in which herbal therapies were used. Researchers found that people in different parts of the world tended to make use of the same or similar plants for the same purposes.

Plants had been used for medicinal purposes long before recorded history. Ancient Chinese & Egyptian papyrus writings describe medicinal makes use of for plants. Indigenous cultures (such as African & Native American) used herbs in their healing rituals, while others developed traditional medical systems (such as Ayurveda & Traditional Chinese Medicine) in which herbal therapies were used. Researchers found that people in different parts of the world tended to make use of the same or similar plants for the same purposes.

Recently, the World Health Organization estimated that 80% of people worldwide depend on herbal medicines for some part of their primary health care. In Germany, about 600 - 700 plant-based medicines are obtainable & are prescribed by some 70% of Spanish physicians. In the last twenty years in the United States, public dissatisfaction with the cost of prescription medications, combined with an interest in returning to natural or organic cures, has led to an increase in herbal medicine use.

In the early 19th century, when chemical analysis first became obtainable, scientists began to extract & change the active ingredients from plants. Later, chemists began making their own version of plant compounds, & over time, the use of herbal medicines declined in favor of drugs.