Herbal Medicine

1. Herbal Medicine • Which of these plants do you recognise? • Which did you know could be used as medicine?

2. Herbal Medicine Many cultures have a history of herbal medicine. These pictures show a Chinese herbalist shop.

3. Willow One of the most famous examples of natural remedies was using willow bark to relieve pain. A chemical company,called Bayer, then made aspirin from these ingredients in the bark. Aspirin is now made artificially but has the same ingredient as Willow bark

4. Garlic Garlic has Garlic has been used as both food and medicine in many cultures for thousands of years, dating at least as far back as the time that the Egyptian pyramids were built. Garlic is claimed to help prevent heart disease. Traditional British herbalism used garlic for hoarseness and coughs, both as a syrup and in a salve made of garlic and lard, which was rubbed on the chest and back. Animal studies, and some early investigational studies in humans, have suggested possible cardiovascular benefits of garlic. A Czech study found garlic supplementation reduced accumulation of cholesterol on vascular walls of animals. Another study showed that supplementation with garlic extract inhibited vascular calcification in human patients with high blood pressure.

5. Foxgloves Medicines for the heart were made from foxgloves in the past. Nowadays extracts from foxgloves are called Digitalis. This treatment of heart conditions was first described by William Withering in 1785. It contains chemicals which make the heart beat regularly and can be diagnosed for people who have a fast, irregular heart beat or have been diagnosed with heart failure.

6. St John’s Wort St John's wort is today most widely known as a herbal treatment for depression. In some countries, such as Germany, it is commonly prescribed for mild depression, especially in children, adolescents, and where cost is a concern. Standardized extracts are generally available over the counter – however, in some countries (such as Ireland) a prescription is required. Extracts are usually in tablet or capsule form, and also in teabags and tinctures.

7. Peppermint Peppermint, like many spices and herbs, is believed to have medicinal properties when consumed. It is said that it helps against upset stomachs, inhibits the growth of certain bacteria, and can help soothe and relax muscles when inhaled or applied to the skin. Other health benefits are attributed to the high manganese, vitamin C and vitamin A content. Freeze-dried leaves In 2007, Italian investigators reported that 75% of the patients in their study who took peppermint oil capsules for four weeks had a major reduction in irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptoms, compared with just 38% of those who took a placebo pill.

8. Poppies have long been used as a symbol of both sleep and death: sleep because of the opium extracted from them, and death because of their (commonly) blood-red colour. Poppies Poppies are used as emblems on tombstones to symbolize eternal sleep. This aspect was used, fictionally, in The Wizard of Oz to create magical poppy fields, dangerous because they caused those who passed through them to sleep forever The drug opium is produced by "milking" latex from the unripe fruits ("seed pods") but all parts of the plant can contain or carry the opium alkaloids, especially morphine and codeine. This means that eating foods) that contain poppy seeds can result in a false positive for opiates in a drug test.

9. Comfrey Comfrey had a wealth of medicinal uses in bygone days. Contemporary herbalists view comfrey as an ambivalent and controversial herb that may offer therapeutic benefits but at the potential risk of liver toxicity. One of the old names for comfrey was 'knitbone', as it was traditionally used for healing. Modern science has proved that comfrey can influence the course of bone ailments. The herb contains allantoin, a chemical that speeds up the natural replacement of body cells. Comfrey was used to treat a wide variety of ailments ranging from bronchial problems, broken bones, sprains, arthritis, gastric and varicose ulcers, severe burns, acne and other skin conditions. It was reputed to have bone and teeth building properties in children, and have value in treating 'many female disorders'.

10. Dandelion The dandelion is approved by scientists for liver and gallbladder complaints, infections of the urinary tract, and loss of appetite. Other unproven uses include treatment of disturbances in bile flow, inflammation of the urinary tract, piles, gout, eczema and other skin disorders. • The dandelion is considered to be very safe and sometimes carries the slang term, “pee in the bed,” referring to its ability in increasing water in the urine. Dandelion has a high potassium content and replaces potassium lost in normal urine secretion which is better than over-the-counter diuretics. • Dandelions are also thought to be effective in helping to ease the ailments of many other conditions including herpes, genital warts, and even obesity. Studies on both rats and humans that involved injecting them with dandelion have resulted in them losing up to 30% of their body weight.

11. Cranberries Cranberries are a source of useful chemicals which are under research for possible benefits to the heart and immune system and as anti-cancer agents. Cranberry juice components also work against formation of kidney stones. Cranberry chemicals have anti-clotting properties and may reduce bladder infections and bad breath.

12. Echinacea Echinacea is popularly believed to be an immunostimulator, stimulating the body's immune system and warding off infections such as colds. The safety of echinacea under long-term use is also unknown.

13. Honey For at least 2700 years, honey has been used to treat a variety of ailments, but only recently have the antiseptic and antibacterial properties of honey been scientifically explained. Wound Gels that contain antibacterial honey are now available to help conventional medicine in the battle against drug resistant strains of bacteria MRSA. As an antimicrobial agent honey may have the potential for treating a variety of ailments.

14. Turmeric Turmeric is thought to have many medicinal properties and many in India use it as an antiseptic for cuts, burns and bruises. It is also used as an antibacterial agent. It is taken in some Asian countries as a dietary supplement, which allegedly helps with stomach problems and other ailments. It is popular as a tea in Japan. It is currently being investigated for possible benefits in Alzheimer's disease, cancer and liver disorders. .