The Story And Virtues Of Herbal Medicines And Coversion To The Synthesis Drugs
Even though now, the natural treatment is in vogue, curing with plants is not a new concept. How would you react if your doctor prescribes a poultice to treat your congestion? And advices you to use a mixture of leaves and bark for your fever? And instead of a prescription, gives you tea for your cough?
In nature, animals challenge their instincts to recover and eat grass when they are ill. Chimpanzees and Pygmy Chimpanzees chew an herb called marshmallow root when they have stomach aches. This may be the oldest form of medicine with plants.
Before the advent of neighborhood pharmacies, medicine with plants was already an usual practice. Each country, according to its culture, has practiced medicine using plants, in different manners. The relationship between live plants, medicines and healing, dates back to the beginning of the medicine, itself dating back 3700 BC. Egyptians were the pioneers of the medicine with plants, followed by Chinese, Greeks and Romans.
When most of settlers had been deprived of physicians and medical care, natural medicine became popular. Although new and better treatments were attainable, the settlers continued to focus on traditional remedies. Many of these remedies have survived to the twentieth century and are still used for different treatment in remote areas of the globe.
The first settlers shared a common creed that the most unpleasant concoctions were the most efficient. Some of these remedies are used today in drugs that have been patented, such as wild cherry bark to heal cough.
Many plants give the basic ingredients used in the preparation of medicines and remedies. The bark and leaves of white and black willow, when infused, enable to lower fever (willow produces salicylic acid which is found in aspirin).
Boiled leaves and twigs of red cedar were inhaled to treat bronchitis.
The Sassafras, the ballot, and pennyroyal are brewed into tea and used to treat coughs and colds.
The white pine was used to treat wounds and sores.
The powdered bark of the hemlock was used to stop bleeding cuts.
Tannins from the bark of hemlock were used to treat burns.
Rhododendron resin was used to treat rheumatism.
The pine needles were used to relieve toothache.
The poultices were also highly estimated. Poultices made up with the mustard flour were used to treat congestion. A poultice containing jimson weed and yarrow was placed on wounds to prevent infection.
In the early 19th century, chemical analysis was developed, and then, was attainable for researchers. They began to modify and extract the active ingredients of plants. Later, chemists have produced their own versions of plant compounds. This began a transition from raw herbs to synthetic pharmaceuticals products. Over time, with pharmaceuticals drugs becoming increasingly popular, the use of herbal medicines declined. Today, 25% of all our medicines come from chemicals extracted from natural substances.
Why using hazardous chemicals and dangerous medicines when you can resort to natural herbs that have the same effect? Traditionally, people had been using the power of nature to relieve any pain.
The research continues to show the value of medicinal plants in the treatment and prevention of illnesses, natural medicine is increasingly recognized by the general consensus. However, the curative potential of thousands of plants, especially in remote areas of the world is far from being known and suffers from a lack of documentation. Consequently, the possibilities remain endless.
