Western herbal medicine involves the use of European, North American and some Chinese herbs to heal common and not so common ailments. It is one of the oldest forms of natural healing and it is likely that even stone age man learnt the benefits of nibbling on certain spring greens and young shoots for particular conditions. Herbs were revered for their powers, and archaeological remains from early civilisations have showed that plants were used in burials and other rituals. The earliest written account of herbal remedies comes from China and dates back to 2800BC. This was the Pen Ts'ao by Shen Nung.
Loved by Romans and Kings
The Romans used herbal remedies and the growing and selling of herbs was part of the economy within their vast empire. Henry VII was also an avid believer in plant power and encouraged its use in London and throughout Britain. Circa 200AD, the herbal practitioner Galen created a system for classifying illnesses and remedies. Later in 400BC, the father of natural medicine, Hippocrates wrote the first Greek herbal manuscript, incorporating herbs, diet, exercise and happiness as the foundation of good health. By 800AD monks had pioneered herbal medicine with infirmaries and physick gardens at every monastery.
Drugs Vs Herbs
Over the last 5000 years, the use of herbal medicine has grown steadily and has often come up trumps where manufactured drugs have failed. In the 1800's, the use of natural plant remedies began to be overtaken by mineral-drug based treatments. At the same time, the serious side effects of over the counter drugs began to be documented. The power of the pharmaceutical industry is not one to be dismissed lightly, and during this time the best effort was made by them to expose herbal medicine as an outdated practice. A furious stronghold of reputable herbalists fought this accusation and formed the committee now known as the National Institute of Medical Herbalists. During World War I, drugs were in short supply and medicinal herbs were used widely in their place. Despite the huge expansion of the pharmaceutical industry in the post-war period, herbal medicine held its own. In 1968, the BHMA (British Herbal Medicine Association) was founded which later produced the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.
Research uncovers benefits
Throughout history, all medicinal herbs have had a number of therapeutic claims attached to them. Ongoing scientific research verifies the authenticity of ancient uses and even uncovers still further benefits of the humble herb. Still more research is required, particularly as changing views increasingly advocate herbs as true medicines, and not just supportive or complementary to the action of drugs. The advent of EU regulations calling for the licensing of all herbal medicines may see an increase in the research carried out. People are increasingly demanding an alternative to drugs as awareness grows about side-effects of medication and the environmental impact of pharmaceutical waste.
