Herbalism Essay

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An herb is a plant or plant part used for its scent, flavour, or therapeutic properties which are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts, and fresh or dried plants. People use herbal medicines to maintain or improve their health. Herbalism or the use of plants for medicinal purposes has existed for centuries and their knowledge has been relayed from one generation to another. Written evidence of herbal remedies dates back over 5,000 years, to the Sumerians, who created lists of plants. A number of ancient cultures wrote on plants and their medical uses. Herbs are mentioned in Egyptian medical papyri and depicted in tomb illustrations (Nunn and John, 2002). In India, the oldest known ayurvedic texts, Susrutha Samhita and Charaka Samhitha speak of herbal preparations for treating diseases. One such plant which has long been used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine for diseases including parkinsonism is Mucuna pruriens. Mucuna is rich in L-Dopa (L-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) or levodopa which is the precursor of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is deficient in Parkinson’s...

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