History of Medicinal Plants & Herbs

Medical plants and herbs were the first items used as medicine to cure ailments. Physicians passed the knowledge of their plant cures verbally to their students and apprentices.

Earliest Records

• The earliest mention of plants used for medicinal purposes was on a Sumerian clay tablet in 2200 B.C. Three thousand five hundred years ago, the document called the Ebers papyrus listed many healing plants. The Chinese and Indian cultures also had extensive lists of plants useful for healing.

Greek and Roman Uses

• Hippocrates is the father of western medicine. He used plants to treat illness and listed 400 herbs useful for the treatment of wounds and sickness. The Roman physician, Dioscorides, continued the practice and his manuscripts were the basis of European medicine for 1500 years.

Renaissance Medicine

• Use of plants and herbs as medicines revived during the renaissance. The printing press enabled the information to become more widely available. Medicinal plants and herbs became well known and were used by many when a physician wasn't available.

Modern Medicines

• Many modern medicines use plants and herbs for their raw material. Aspirin, derived from Willow bark, is perhaps the best-known example. Eastern countries such as China and India still rely on herb and plant medicines to cure illnesses.