The Impact of Herbalism on The Human Body

     Herbalism, also known as botanical medicine, is one of medicine's earliest known systems. It is the tradition of plant-based herbal remedies for medical conditions (Shield, 2018). The use of plants for medicinal purposes dates back recorded history and is the source of many modern medicines. Most modern drugs come from plant sources: most of the few effective drugs were based on plants a century ago, for instance, aspirin (willow bark), digoxin (foxglove), quinine (cinchona bark), and morphine (opium poppy). Drug companies are engaged in large-scale pharmacological screening of herbs, and the development of drugs from plants continues (Vickers & Zollman, 2001). 

     As part of their normal metabolic processes, all plants produce chemical compounds. These can be classified into two groups-primary metabolites present in all plants, such as sugars and fats; and secondary metabolites found in a smaller range of plants, some of which are contained only in a particular genus or organisms. The autologous roles of secondary metabolites are varied; as toxins to prevent predation, for example, or to attract pollination insects. Such secondary metabolites are the ones that can have beneficial effects in humans and can be optimized for drug production. Several examples are dahlia root inulin, cinchona quinine, poppy morphine and codeine, and foxglove digoxin (Mental Help, 2015). 

     The impact of herbs on individual body systems are highlighted by modern Western herbalism. Understanding it with example herbs can be used for their presumed anti-inflammatory, hanta tic, expectorant, antispasmodic, or stimulation effects. Consumer spending on herbal products in the U.S. is projected to surpass $5 billion per year, mainly from over - the-counter drug self-prescription. Usually, this form of herbal drug use is based on a simple matching of a particular herb to particular diseases or symptoms — such as sleep disturbance (Vickers & Zollman, 2001).

     Herbal medicine varies in its use of whole plants from conventional medicine, usually as an unverified extract; herbal mixture; and diagnostic criteria focused on the treatment of the underlying causes Herbal medicine practitioners tend to focus on chronic conditions and improve well-being because many plants are toxic, herbal medicinal products are probably more likely to cause adverse effects than other complementary therapies. There is potential for herbal products to interfere with traditional drugs, and certain interactions have been well defined (University of California, 2019).

Details of some herbal medicines widely used:

• In preliminary studies, artichoke and several other plants were associated with lower levels of total serum cholesterol.

• Black cohosh and other plants containing phytoestrogens (plant molecules with activation of estrogen) have been found to have some advantages in the treatment of menopausal symptoms.

• In some clinical trials, echinacea extracts have been shown to reduce the duration of colds, although some studies have found that it has no effect.

• Garlic has been found to lower total cholesterol rates, to lower blood pressure, to minimize platelet aggregation, and to have antibacterial properties.

• In some clinical trials, studies were found to be more effective than placebo for treating mild to moderate depression (Irvine, 2018).

     A common misconception in herbalism and the general use of ' natural ' products is that ' natural ' is healthy. Nevertheless, nature is not innocuous, and many plants have mechanisms of chemical defense against predators that can adversely affect humans. Examples are the hemlock and night shade that can be fatal to humans. On the other side the common names of herbs with different effects can be shared with others. For example, in a TCM treatment for weight loss in one case in Belgium, one herb was switched to another that caused damage to the kidneys. Another herb variety induces elevated blood pressure and heart rate, compared to another variety for the weight-loss treatment; the varieties are distinguished by the suffix in the Latin names (Mental Help, 2015).

     An herbal ingredient's legal status can vary from country to country. Ayurvedic herbal products, for example, often contain heavy metal levels that would be considered unsafe in the United States. In Ayurvedic medicine, however, heavy metals are believed to have therapeutic benefits.


     While superficially similar, there are significant differences in herbal and traditional pharmacotherapy. Herbal medicine practitioners generally use unverified plant extracts that contain multiple components. These also tend to be less harmful when whole herbs are used rather than isolated active ingredients. Although two samples of a particular herbal drug may contain different proportions of constituent compounds, practitioners argue that this generally does not cause clinical problems. Many herbs are often used together. Practitioners suggest that synergy and buffering principles apply to plant combinations and assert that combining herbs enhances effectiveness and decreases adverse effects. Herbal practitioners use medical criteria that vary from traditional practitioners ' standards. For example, in treating arthritis, herbal practitioners may observe "under functioning elimination systems of a patient" and decide that arthritis is the result of "accumulation of metabolic waste products." In addition to herbs with anti-inflammatory properties, a diuretic, choler etic, or laxative combination of herbs may be prescribed (Vickers & Zollman, 2001).

References:

W.C Shield. (2018). Medical Definition of Herbalism. Retrieved from
https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=11465  as on January 03, 2020. 

University of California- (2019). Molecular mechanism of botanical folk medicines used to treat
hypertension: Lavender, fennel and chamomile among herbs discovered to act upon a
shared therapeutic target in blood vessels. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 6, 2020 from
www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/09/190930161856.html.

Irvine. (2018). Molecular mechanisms of ancient herbal remedies: Components of leaf extract
provehighly effective at preventing life-threatening seizures. ScienceDaily. Retrieved
January 6, 2020 www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/10/181010132352.html.

A,Vickers & C, Zollman. (2001). Herbal Medicine. Western Journal of Medicine. US.

Mental Help. (2015). Herbalism. Retrieved from https://www.mentalhelp.net/alternative

medicine/herbalism/ as on 05 January, 2020.