| Using herbs to benefit from its medicinal or | | | | symptoms of asthma and other respiratory |
| therapeutic value is commonly known as herbal | | | | problems, Epedrine is used. This is an active |
| medicine. Chemical substances contained in the | | | | ingredient in ephedra, a traditional Chinese herb. |
| herbal plants can be induced to act upon the body | | | | The foxglove plant is another example pointing |
| of the person consuming it. | | | | towards the use of herbal extraction by modern |
| Humanity has known of this form of healthcare | | | | medicine. The leaf from this plant is powdered to |
| based on herbs since ancient times. History is | | | | stimulate cardiac digitalis and provide relief to a |
| replete with details of cultures benefiting from | | | | large number of heart patients. |
| herbal medicines. It played a vital role in the | | | | Traditional Chinese Herbalism, Ayurvedic Herbalism |
| progress of modern civilization. The early primitive | | | | and Western Herbalism are some of the various |
| men discovered that the herbs provide not only a | | | | systems of herbal medicine prevalent today. |
| cure but also food, shelter and clothing. | | | | Ayurvedic and Chinese Herbalism developed into a |
| Many of the common drugs used by us today | | | | successful system to treat various health |
| are derived from herbs. According to various | | | | disorders. Western Herbalism is yet to achieve |
| sources at least one basic ingredient from plant | | | | this level of advancement and remains a system |
| materials form part of some of the prescription | | | | of folk medicine. |
| drugs available in the United States. | | | | Some of the herbs used in Ayurveda are |
| According to WHO - World Health Organization - | | | | successful in reducing diabetes and cholesterol. In |
| nearly 80 percent of the worlds population or 4 | | | | recent years, there is a growth in the use of |
| billion people currently use some aspects of herbal | | | | herbal medicines due to the success stories of St. |
| medicine in their health care process. The | | | | John's Wort, which replaced Prozac to treat mild |
| common element in Native American Indian | | | | depression. In the United States, the popularity of |
| medicine, traditional oriental medicine, naturopathic, | | | | Ginseng and Ginkgo Biloba is rising due to is curing |
| homeopathic and Ayurvedic medicines is herbal | | | | effects. |
| medicine. | | | | Herbal medicines can be marketed in US only as |
| Today, for the treatment of high blood pressure, | | | | food supplements. Without FDA approval, herb |
| heart disease, asthma, pain, and other problems, a | | | | manufacturers or distributors cannot make |
| large proportion of commercial medications use | | | | specific health claims. |
| substances derived from plants. To treat | | | | |