The Facts About Herbal Medication

Much like the wise lady in the essay "The Lunatics" in the book The Fly in the Ointment, many people around the world rely on herbal medication to cure them of their ailments.

Herbal medicine, also called botanical medicine or phytomedicine, refers to the use of any plant's seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark, or flowers for medicinal purposes. Long practiced outside of conventional medicine, herbalism is becoming more mainstream as up-to-date analysis and research show their value in the treatment and prevention of disease.

The history of using herbs to cure, or herbology, dates back to Ancient China. Chinese herbologists were aware of the benefits that could help aid the patient with their suffering. Before x-rays were invented, microscopes were as simplistic as a low powered magnifying glass, and chemistry was still somewhat “crude,” herbologists used their own senses and perceptions to figure what herbs to use.

Beginning in the 1800s, scientists and chemists began exploring the method of botanical medication further. They started extracting and modifying the active ingredients from plants that helped cure illnesses. Although, the use of herbal medication declined when synthetic pharmaceutical medication became accessible.

The World Health Organization (WHO), a sect of the United Nations, estimated that 80% of the worldwide population rely on herbal medication for some aspect of their healthcare. For more information from the World Health Organization, click here.