Herbal medicine, also called phytotherapy, is the study of the use of medicinal plants to cure and alleviate diseases. It is one of the oldest medical therapies and is part of the medical science on all continents.
What is herbal medicine?
Herbal medicine, also called phytotherapy, is the study of the use of medicinal plants to cure and alleviate disease. In herbal medicine, only components of plants are used to treat diseases. Thus, leaves, roots, flowers, barks or seeds can be used medicinally. Isolated active ingredients, on the other hand, are not used. The plant components are pharmacologically also called drugs and can be prepared fresh, as tea infusion, decoction, cold extract, juice, tincture, powder, essential oil or extract. Medicinal plants are natural products and thus their ingredients are subject to natural variations. Location, climate, harvest and storage influence the content of ingredients. Known active ingredients in herbal medicine include essential oils, alkaloids, bitter compounds, coumarins, tannins, glycosides, mucilages and saponins.
Function, effect and goals
In herbal medicine, different forms can be distinguished. On the one hand, there is traditional European herbal medicine. Until 1800, it was still the basis of all medical therapies. In the 19th century, however, it was increasingly displaced by conventional medicine. Special forms of traditional European herbal medicine are spagyric and aromatherapy. Rational phytotherapy is based on traditional phytotherapy. The effectiveness of the plants is examined here according to scientific evaluation standards. There is also a traditional herbal medicine in Japan. This is also called Kampo. Just like traditional Japanese medicine, traditional Chinese medicine also makes use of plants in its therapy. In Chinese herbal medicine, it is customary for each patient to receive a mixture that is individually tailored to him or her according to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine. Medicinal plants are also used in the tradition of Indian Ayurveda. The application possibilities of herbal medicine are very broad. Essential oils, saponins, mucilages, tannins and flavonoids have proven effective in the treatment of respiratory diseases. Plants such as thyme, ivy, ribwort, fennel, anise, marshmallow, spruce, primrose or licorice soothe irritated respiratory tracts, have an expectorant and cough-calming effect, and some even have antibacterial or antiviral properties. Herbs such as dandelion, milk thistle, artichoke, celandine, boldo or fumitory have a positive effect on the liver and gall bladder. They can cause regeneration of liver tissue, stabilize liver cells, and can relieve accompanying symptoms of liver disease such as nausea, loss of appetite, or a feeling of pressure in the upper abdomen. In addition, some of these medicinal plants stimulate bile production and/or accelerate the flow of bile. This also stimulates digestion. Also stimulating digestion are the so-called bitter drugs. Bitter substances stimulate saliva and gastric juice secretion. They also stimulate the secretion of digestive juices from the pancreas. Bitter drugs such as gentian, wormwood, centaury, yarrow, calamus, ginger or pepper have an appetizing, antispasmodic, bile-promoting effect and prevent flatulence. Therefore, they are best administered half an hour before eating. Hawthorn is a well-known plant for strengthening the cardiovascular system. The procyanidins and flavonoids contained in hawthorn have a contraction-increasing and vasodilating effect. Hawthorn is therefore often used to treat heart failure, cardiac insufficiency or high blood pressure. Foxglove (digitalis) also contains cardioactive ingredients. The cardiac glycosides are able to increase the beating power of the heart and lower the heart rate. Cardiac glycosides are also used in the treatment of heart failure. Strictly speaking, however, the therapy with cardiac glycosides does not belong to herbal medicine, because for the therapy usually not the whole plant or parts of the plant are used, but the active substance is isolated. Remedies from herbal medicine are also used to increase the immune defense. The best-known immunostimulating plant is certainly the echinacea.But also plants like the Capeland Pelargonium or the Water Vetch have a positive effect on the immune system. Another field of application of medicinal herbalism are diseases of the urogenital tract. Here, especially herbal diuretics such as birch, goldenrod, nettle or field horsetail are used. In the case of inflammation of the urinary tract or bladder, antibiotic-active plants such as nasturtium or horseradish have also proven helpful.
Risks, side effects and dangers
As a rule, phytopharmaceuticals are well tolerated and tend to have few side effects. In organically caused, severe diseases, phytotherapy is not suitable as a sole therapy, but should only be used as a supportive measure after consultation with the attending physician. For reasons of drug law and due to the lack of clinical studies, phytotherapy should only be practiced with extreme caution during pregnancy, while breastfeeding and in children under 12 years of age. However, responsible use with phytotherapeutics often shows great success here, so that although therapy is certainly recommended, it should only be carried out by experienced doctors or alternative practitioners. For some medicinal plants or ingredients there are special restrictions and contraindications. Caution is always advised in the case of allergies to composite plants. Many of the known medicinal plants belong to the daisy family. If allergy sufferers come into contact with the plants, this can lead to allergic shock in the worst case. People who are allergic to composite plants should also be careful when using essential oils. Absolute contraindication to treatment with plants containing anthranoids are intestinal obstruction or acute inflammatory diseases of the intestine. Anthranoids have a laxative effect and are contained, among others, in Cape aloe, senna or rhubarb root. Since bitter substances stimulate the production of digestive juices, they should not be used in cases of gastric and intestinal ulcers. The increased gastric acid produced would only further irritate the mucous membrane of the stomach and intestines.
