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History of herbal medicine easy
Herbs as Medicine
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Along with this thesis herbal medicines will be our primary topic, it is then good to know the basic knowledge about herbal medicines, where did it came from and on how herbal medicine formed or even repacked.
First things first, an herb therefore is any plant or a plant part that is used to lessen unwanted symptoms, or boost overall health. Garlic, ginger, gingko biloba, and ginseng are just some of the many examples of herbs that can be seen at home. Because of its capability to heal specific illnesses these plants are called by now an herbal medicine (The Herbal Drugstore 8).
Since then, ancestors depend on the nourishment from plants. They have learned that some plants were edible, poisonous and to some that have the quality and capability to heal. This good and helpful discovery was being passed from generation to generation and even to the other side of the world (A Brief History of Herbalism).
In Mesopotamia, prescriptions of using herbal medicine were found in tablets made of clay. A Chinese emperor named Chi’ en Nung compiled 300 herbs in a book which is still use by now. Just like in China, India has also compiled a medicinal book called Vedas which reveals 500 Indian indigenous medicinal plants (A Brief History of Herbalism).
During the early 19th century, scientists’ started to study chemical components of herbs known. They then enhanced and make their own version of plant compounds. This is the reason why there is an existing rivalry between herbal and therapeutic medicines (Herbal Medicine).
Herbal medicine was also classified through its types and actions to the body. It is possible for a single herb to heal a lot of sickness. This is the reason why it would be best to know its classifications.
Herbs are classified...
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...armaceutical drugs. Thus, some concludes that it is far better to take herbs for it may cause fewer side effects. But taking medicines even if it is herbal should always pair up with care. That is why it is an edge to know more about herbal medicines (The Herbal Drugstore 11-14).
Other than its effects, drugs and herbs also differ from their price. Herbs in the first place are very cheap and may sometimes for free because it can be found in someone’s garden or backyard. Drugs are way too expensive especially those pills than can cure very serious illnesses.
Pharmaceutical drugs are more costly because it needs an approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Manufacturers of drugs spend a lot of money for research to be certain of how safe, accurate and effective their drugs may be especially to the illness it is suited for (The Herbal Drugstore 11-14-15).
The multiple use of plants used for nourishment, medicinal purposes and practical use were ignored by Lewis and Clark during their monumental trek across the United States. Rather than consider the Native Indian’s use of native plants they persisted on using Dr. Rush’s Thunderbolt pills that probably caused more problems than the condition that inflicted them. Many modern day cultures continue to ignore native remedies and have come to depend on synthetic pharmaceutical drug production. In recent years the wealth of indigenous knowledge has been acknowledged revealing the use of native plants and the importance it had in the survival of indigenous people.. Pharmaceutical companies have utilized the immense knowledge of the indigenous people and their use of natural plants. The application of natural plant species have revealed the main reasons mankind has survived into present day. Following is a few of the plants, their application and their specific purposes.
Why do consumers purchase specific drugs for various ailments, sicknesses or diseases they might have? Why do physicians prescribe certain drugs over competitive drugs that may be available to the public? Why is it that most of us can easily name specific drugs that fit the many ailments of today’s society? On the surface the answer might be as simple as good TV advertising or radio commercials or even internet adds. The truth of matter is the major pharmaceutical manufacturers own the patents on these drugs and this gives them all of the marketing budget and muscle they need to promote the drug and control the pricing. The incentives for larger pharmaceutical companies are very enticing and as a result, they don’t mind spending the time in clinical trials and patent courts to get their drugs approved. Some will even get patents on the process by which the drug is manufactured, ensuring that no competitor can steal the drug or the process. This protects their large financial investment and nearly guarantees a large return for their investors. Many consumer rights groups claim this is nothing more than legalizing monopolies for the biggest manufacturers.
It is said that name-brand prescription drugs in Canada cost approximately 40% less than they do in America. But it is illegal for the transport of drugs from Canada to America. Why? It is because Pharmaceuticals are simply greedy and prey on victims that are in need of their products to survive. It makes it hard for large households on a budget to purchase drugs to keep healthy. The way pharmaceutical companies look at their clients is like this: It is a life or death situation for them so the customers have to buy it in order to survive. According to the annual Fortune 500 survey, the pharmaceutical industry, expectedly, made it at the top of the list of the most profitable. The top seven pharmaceutical companies took in more profit-money than the top seven media companies, the top seven airline companies, the top seven oil companies, and the top seven car manufacture companies. (…cost so much, CNN) The profits of pharmaceutical companies are outrageous and extreme. There are many reasons to why these companies are greedily taking advantage of customers. The number one reason is because people who are need of these prescriptions have no other choice but to purchase them.
on herbal folk remedies used by Aztec women. It was found that some of herbs they were using
Why are the prices so high? Some critics of the drug companies argue that the larger firms are ripping off the American public, are dishonest and, in some cases, unsafe. On the other hand, there are health care workers such as doctors and their supporters who claim that research and testing for drugs costs money. This supposedly justifies their prices for their products. Also, as an argument to their side, they say that their practice is a benefit to the improvement to mankind. It is a life saving business, but are these prices justified? As one can see, this is a very important issue in medicine today. It affects everyone involved with medicine, which is much of the American public. It also affects the physicians and drug makers.
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
The monks who looked after sick travellers in the monasteries were very skilled in using herbs. Some modern medicines are based on the herbs used in medieval times.
Another factor that must be taken into consideration is that holistic medicine arose long before western medicine and has been used for centuries. Allopathic medicine is new in the perspective of mankind while holistic medicine has almost all of mankind’s history worth of experience. The latter type of medicine doesn’t focus on just treating the ailment at hand, but it also tries to improve the overall well-being of the body, spirit, mind, and even their social health. Advantages of choosing this way of treatment is whole- person treatment, exclusive attention, rare side-effects, and stress on prevention. In contrast, traditional medicine deals only with what is wrong at the moment, and if applicable, the disease or illness that is causing these symptoms, not all the aspects of life and the medicine prescribed almost always has annoying side effects. Doctors who practice western medicine examine hundreds of patients a week, therefore there is no special attention given. Not only that, but it does not try to prevent illnesses or diseases, whether mental or physical, except in obvious cases such as an allergy or asthma attack for example. It is not all imperfect, though. Advantages of western medicine include, but are not limited to, evidence based treatments, constant room for scientific
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.
Plants provide nutritional factors to the human body. Fruits and vegetables are good for our health. But aside from eating or make it a dessert it is also the main source of drugs that is being use from the ancient times as herbal remedies for the health care, prevention and cure of various diseases and ailments. Plants were used by our ancestors to prevent some kind of diseases. Use of various plants parts like its bark, flowers, fruit, seeds, roots, leaves or let’s say the whole plant as such for medical purpose is been a long tradition in different culture. Use of plants as a medicine is being used not only by the Filipino but also other country like Malaysia. Our ancestors used plants as their medicine when they get sick because in their time no ready-made medicine is available so they need to use the parts of plants as cure for their illnesses. Plants are very useful not also as food but also as medicine.
Herbal remedies’ qualities are widespread availability, lower cost, effective for chronic conditions. Herbal remedies are the use of plants or plant extract to treat a person’ overall health. Herbal treatments are prominent for developing countries for instance, “in Africa up to 90% and in India 70% of the population depend on traditional medicine to help meet their health care needs” (Wachtel-Galor & Benzie, 2011), due to their low cost and availability. Herbal remedies have gained attention in the past decades, and expanding their uses due to the increased interest of natural therapies (Wachtel-Galor & Benzie, 2011). Herbs used on the remedies grow in the wild throughout the world, therefore making it easy to
Maintaining your health with the use of herbal and natural remedies is the first step to support your well-being. Aside from promoting general health, with lesser possibilities of allergic reactions, these herbal and natural health products come with a slightly lower price tag than their pharmaceutical counterparts, thereby keeping your health at its best without hurting your budget.
Health claims are booming in today’s world. Many of these consumers are being misled by advertising and believe that their choice will benefit their health. Although herbal medicines have been in existence throughout human evolution, I have chosen to take a deeper look into these health practices. I’m curious if this is just another health claim or if there are actual benefits to taking these medicines.
People often choose Herbal Medicine over the prescribed and conventional medicine when they have a lifelong health complication. More so, Herbal Medicine is not just to cure such health problems, it also improves the overall well-being, many health enthusiast use herbal medicine to preclude illness or to assure a healthier lifestyle.
Modern medicine is finally starting to accommodate traditional medicine, though traditional medicine is still overlooked or regarded as a primitive form of treatment, providing nothing but placebo effects. According to the American National Cancer Institute, modern medicine is: