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Millennia Herbal Medicine Still Stands Strong
from:Throughout the millennia herbal medicine has been defined as the use of herbs for the medicinal or therapeutic values. The parts of the plant that is used vary but can include any or all of the following: seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark or flowers. For millennia herbal medicine has been around. It has been used much longer than conventional medicine and once again is becoming a mainstream alternative. Almost 80% of the world population today uses herbal medicine for some aspect of primary health care according to the World Health Organization. The popularity of herbal medicine has made some doctor’s today decide to use a combination of both conventional and alternative medicine to treat their patient’s ailments. In previous millennia herbal medicine was the standard.
Herbs throughout history
The practice of herbal medicine began even before records of their use existed. This fact has been proven during archaeological digs where human bones were found with herbs carefully tucked around them. For practically every culture throughout the millennia herbal medicine has been used to heal various ailments, from physical to psychological. An estimated 25% of the prescription drugs that are currently dispensed in the United States contain at least one active ingredient that has been derived from plant material. When plant extracts are not used in pharmaceutical drugs there is a good chance that at least one ingredient has been chemically synthesized to mimic the properties of natural plant compounds.
The new millennia: herbal medicine vs. synthetic medicine
Pharmaceutical medications are formulated to treat one specific illness, which can help save a life in an emergency situation making them an important part of traditional medical practices. Individual herb plants contain numerous minor ingredients that work in conjunction with their one main ingredient. The minor ingredients that herbs contain help support the function of the main ingredient. Some of these minor ingredients help the formulations get to the parts of the body where they are needed. Using herbs as a long term treatment should be avoided because it can result in the body becoming immune to the herbs. Once the body becomes immune to either a pharmaceutical or herbal medication, the medication will either lose some of its effectiveness or not work at all. There is also a chance that the herbs could build up in the body, the same way pharmaceutical medications can and cause various side effects. Alternative medicine centers on healing the mind, body and soul, instead of focusing on healing one major illness like pharmaceutical medicines do. This complete solution is one reason why alternative herbal medicine is rapidly gaining popularity, however it is wise to remember throughout the millennia herbal medicine has been around.
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Herbal Medicine News
Horny Goat Weed (ThirdAge)
Horny goat weed is an ornamental plant that also has a long history of traditional use in Asian herbal medicine. Its whimsical name is said to derive from folk observations that goats who grazed on the herb became unusually sexually active.
Read more...Herbal supplement Ginkgo doesn't stop Alzheimer's (Reuters via Yahoo! News)
The widely used herbal supplement Ginkgo biloba does not appear to prevent Alzheimer's disease in healthy elderly people or those with mild cognitive impairment, U.S. researchers said on Tuesday.
Read more...Tampcol launches health herbal water and 17 new Unani drugs (PharmaBiz)
Tamil Nadu Medicinal Plant Farms & Herbal Medicine Corporation Limited (Tampcol), a public sector company manufacturing traditional medicines, will soon introduce health herbal water. The herbal water, to be produced by the company will be certified as a safe drinking water with herbal properties.
Read more...Malaysia herbal medicine sector to post healthy growth (Business Times (Malaysia))
THE herbal medicine industry in Malaysia is set to grow by 15 per cent per annum from RM9 billion last year, despite obstacles and a slower economy.
Read more...Ginkgo Fails to Prevent Alzheimer's in Large Study (First Coast News)
CHICAGO, IL (AP) -- The dietary supplement ginkgo, long promoted as an aid to memory, didn't help prevent dementia and Alzheimer's disease in the longest and largest test of the extract in older Americans. "We don't think it has a future as a powerful anti-dementia drug," said Dr. Steven DeKosky of the University of Virginia School of Medicine, who led the federally funded study.
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