Importance of Medicinal Plants

Medicinal plants and herbs are used (or have been) by nearly all cultures to prevent or treat illness. The World Health Organization estimates that in many African and Asian countries, nearly 80 percent of the population depends on herbal medicine as the primary source of care. In developed countries, the same percentage has used or tried a form of traditional or medicinal therapy. Additionally, many of today's most common medicines were developed from compounds found within medicinal herbs. Because there are so many medicinal herbs and plants available to treat such a wide variety of ailments, medicinal plants occupy and will continue to occupy an important place in all cultures.

Prevention

• Many herbs have preventative properties and can be taken to avoid illnesses such as heart disease and cancer. Rosemary, for example, helps prevent the formation of carcinogenic HCAs (heterocyclic amines) in grilled meats. Similarly, eating garlic may help lower the risk of ovarian and colorectal cancer. Echinacea is commonly taken to strengthen the immune system and ward off colds and the flu.

Mental Health

• Perhaps surprisingly, medicinal plants are not used exclusively to relieve physical ailments; they are also used to treat mental conditions. Herbs such as St. John's wort, kava, lavender, and ginseng have been used to treat mild forms of depression. dementia, Alzheimer's, and anxiety. These alternative treatments may be attractive options for those wishing to avoid the unwanted side effects of pharmaceuticals. Care should be taken, however, when taking both herbal and Western medicine as the two can interact in unwanted ways.

Skin Care

• Medicinal plants are more and more often used in beauty and skin care as an alternative to harsh and environmentally unfriendly chemicals found in most beauty products. Aloe vera is perhaps the most common medicinal skin care plant; it soothes skin after exposure to the sun, helps heal minor cuts and burns, and is also used to treat acne. Other plants, such as the coconut, are valued for their moisturizing oils, which can be applied to skin or hair.

Medicinal Diets

• Of course, most people know that to be healthy, it is important to eat a good diet with lots of fruit and vegetables. Some forms of alternative medicine have taken this concept further and created the medicinal diet. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, for example, doctors may prescribe combinations of food, herbs, and condiments to treat a specific condition or slow down the effects of aging. Ayurveda, another medicinal diet, focuses on each individual's unique constitution of three elements, using food to restore it to balance and thus ease physical complaints.

Considerations

• The rapid growth in popularity of herbal and plant medicines raises some concerns. For one, herbal medicine is extremely varied from place to place, making it very difficult to standardize safety regulations and assessment. Countries have very different regulatory laws in place for traditional forms of medicine, and some countries may not impose any regulation at all. Therefore, it is important to be knowledgeable about the quality and origin of any herb or plant used medicinally. Additionally, consumers should keep sustainability in mind; some medicinal herbs and plants are taken from the wild rather than cultivated, putting them in danger of over-harvesting. Finally, because medicinal herbs are natural, people may believe they hold no risk. Many medicinal plants do have negative side effects if dosing or administration instructions are not followed, and herbal treatments should always be undertaken in consultation with a doctor.