Treating diseases with the help of medicinal plants is one of the oldest achievements of mankind. One can even say that phytotherapy was the most important medical doctrine of all until the end of the 19th century. In the 16th century, Paracelsus had begun to systematically summarize the medicinal herbs native to our country and developed methods of how best to extract the desired active ingredients from the plants. He thus made phytotherapy an empirical science, which thereafter followed more and more scientific principles.
Nature and chemistry
Many of the medicines that are chemically produced today originally came from herbal medicine. Aspirin, for example, contains an active ingredient from the bark of the willow tree, strongly pain-relieving substances such as the opiates were obtained from the milky sap of the opium poppy, and only recently was the active ingredient galantamine found in the snowdrop, which is now used to treat Alzheimer’s disease.
Forms of application
In phytotherapy, plants are used as fresh plants, as extracts or also in the form of teas, capsules, drops and ointments. In general, herbal preparations have a fairly broad spectrum of action – and what is particularly advantageous – significantly fewer side effects than synthetic drugs.
Tested quality
Today, the same high demands are placed on phytopharmaceuticals as on chemically produced drugs. In terms of quality, efficacy and safety, they must meet the same legal requirements. In addition, only active ingredients whose benefit is greater than the risk may be prescribed. In this respect, herbal medicines are even usually superior to synthetic drugs.
Plants from controlled cultivation should be used as starting material, where the active ingredient content can be standardized so that each tablet or capsule always contains the same dose.
When are phytopharmaceuticals used?
Phytopharmaceuticals are mainly used for mood disorders such as nervous restlessness, problems falling asleep, colds, stomach problems and mild cardiovascular disorders. Thus they already cover a large part of the most frequent complaints with which patients come to the physician or pharmacist. But herbal medicines are also gaining ground in other areas such as allergies, menopausal problems, depressive moods or for strengthening the immune system.
Correct application
Despite the good tolerability of phytopharmaceuticals, they should also not be taken over a long period of time without first consulting a specialist. Especially combinations of different medicinal herbs and also with conventional synthetic drugs are not always harmless. A consultation with the pharmacist is in any case meaningful and gives additionally security to do also the correct for its health. (pnm)
