Herbal Therapeutics Then and Now

Herbalists and traditional physicians use varying terminology because they approach diseases and the medicines used to treat them differently. This is also the reason why most herbal medicine books are of little use to a physician confronted with a desperately ill patient. Many of the drugs used in modem medicine are extracted from plants. But herbalists use whole plants, whereas traditional physicians use purified ingredients derived from plants. Traditional physicians and scientists generally believe that if a plant has any medicinal value at all, it is because different components of the plant act synergistically (Cupp, 2000 and General References). 

Some herbal products are very toxic. Comfrey may be an effective treatment for bruises and sprains, but it contains pyrrazolidine alkaloids, which can cause severe liver damage. 

Many ancient herbs have found new uses. A few examples are listed here. 

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