Monday, May 26, 2008

What is herbal medicine?

Herbal medicine is a traditional medicinal or folk medicine practice using different natural plants and plant extracts. It is also called in other medical terms such as herbalism, medicinal botany, medical herbalism, herbology, botanical medicine and phytotherapy.

There are several types of herbal medicine. Natural herbs and medicinal plants can be made or taken in various forms. For instance, medicinal plants can be made as part of a vegetarian salad, herbal tea, or natural food supplement.

Herbal medicine or herbalism is also considered as an alternative medicine practice. Herbal medicine is hailed to be a sophisticated system of natural medicine using plant extracts and natural herbs which is said to treat all sorts of illnesses.

Natural herbs, throughout history, have been utilized as medicines. Common drugs, in fact, are made from natural herbal extracts. You will be surprised to find out that the chemical properties of natural herbs and herbal medicine are comparable with that of what we can buy in drugstores and also have effetive medicinal value. .Medicinal plants contain natural chemical compounds that act upon the human body to prevent and treat treat diseases. Sometimes referred to as herbalism, botanical medicine or herbology, herbal medicine is often utilized because of its therapeutic value.

The practice of herbal medicine involves the use of various parts of plants such as leaves, stems, barks, seeds, oild, stems, and others, which are then transformed into herbal medicine in various forms ( i.e. teas, liquids, tablets, creams, ointments, infusions, etc.)

Nowadays, there is a growing interest in herbal medicine practices. Herbalists believe that herbal medicine provides an alternative to the conventional or scientific medicine. This traditional medicinal practice is often incorporated into various medical systems. According to the World Heath Organization (WHO), an estimated 80% of the world populatrion rely on herbal medicine or similar medicinal plant preparations for their primary disease prevention and healthcare needs.