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What is Herbalism? Plants are the basis upon which all other life on Earth depends. Herbalism is based on the relationship between plants and people and the planet. Herbalism is not limited to the narrow concept of a plant "medicine" as a substance that possesses or is reputed to possess curative or remedial properties. Medicinal plants are more than simply objects with useful chemical and symbolic aspects. They are living organisms that are functionally embedded in the cultural fabric of social groups and institutions. The exact constituents of a medicinal plant-related tradition vary from culture to culture to form a rich and diverse array of medical systems. True herbalism is practiced holistically and addresses itself to the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of those who would integrate the use of plants in the promotion of health and prevention of disease. Herbal holism encourages and assists people to understand this relationship and promotes education and self-care rather than treatment and dependence. In Western countries, herbal medicine is based on European phytomedicine. Derived from plants or plant parts, phytomedicines are not isolated chemicals but preparations from an entire plant or from its root, leaf, flower or fruit.
How Old Is Herbalism? Humans (and animals) have always used plants. Initial use is thought to be the result of "instinctive" dowsing. Animals in the wild provide evidence of this phenomenon: they eat plants that heal them and avoid plants that do them harm. Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine is an ancient organized system that can be traced back to about 2500 B.C. Texts produced at that time are still studied and used by practitioners today, with little added and nothing taken away. Ancient Anglo-Saxon herbals include The Leech Book of Bald, which dates from the 10th century. Healing and herbalism were largely in the hands of the church during these early times, with all monasteries engaged in growing medicinal herbs and tending the sick. No system, rules or classification was imposed on Western materia medicas (books providing information on herbs and their prescription) until the first century A.D., when Galen, a Roman physician, established his system of classification, i.e., based on Hippocratic medicine (the balance of the four humors - blood, bile, phlegm and choler). Despite his apparent reverence for Hippocratic principles, Galen constructed an elaborate and rigid system of medicine that paralyzed European medical thinking for 1,500 years and created a significant gap between the professional physician and the traditional healer. When nearly one-third of Europe died as a result of the Black Plaque of 1348, the public began to lose faith in Galenic medicine. During the 1500's, revolutionaries such as the alchemist Paracelsus and other traditional herbalists challenged Galen and supported the Doctrine of Signatures, which maintained that the outward appearance of a plant gave an indication of the ailments it would cure. At times, the theory was surprisingly accurate. As an example, the round leaves of lady's mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris) were compared to the cervix. Lady's mantle is stilled used today for menstrual pain and to regulate the cycle. Another example of this doctrine is ginseng (Panax ginseng) whose root bears a strong resemblance to a human figure and whose general use is as an invigorating tonic. Theories like this still prevail in Africa.
In the 1600's, Nicholas Culpeper, an English pharmacist, published an herbal called The English Physician. Rather than requiring patients to purchase the expensive exotic or imported drugs prescribed at the time, Culpeper recommended the herbs his clients had growing in their own back yards, this seeming contemptible by professional physicians of the day. In America, during the 1600's and 1700's, herbs used traditionally by native Americans were quite popular, especially in the treatment of malaria and scurvy. Herbal medicine gained greater respect in the late 1700's, exemplified by Dr. William Withering's classic description of digitalis. However, mercury, bleeding and purging were still the "standard" medical treatments, as epitomized by George Washington's death from complications incurred during treatment of a sore throat. He was bled to death.
In the early 1800's, standard medicine may have been ready to return to traditional herbal remedies, but for the Thomsonian movement. Samuel Thomson patented a system of herbal medicine that claimed more than 3 million followers. Founded on ignorance, prejudice and dogma, Thomsonians insisted that Thomson's works contained all medical knowledge and left no room for further research. Also during the 1800's the Eclectic movement, brought about to bridge the gap between standard medical thought, Thomsonianism and traditional herbal medicine, failed mainly because of the decrease of infectious disease brought about by improved sanitation and hygiene and the failure to sustain a quality medical school incorporating herbal usage.
Because plants cannot be patented, little research has been done in this century on plants as medical agents. Instead, plants have been screened for biological activity and so-called active constituents which are isolated in patented medicines by the large pharmaceutical firms and marketed as drugs. Many researchers have been dismayed that in many instances the isolated constituent was less active than the crude herb, and therefore less effective in curative powers. In the United States, the problem of lack of standardization has dealt another blow to acceptance of traditional herbal medicines. We are fortunate that several European and Asian pharmaceutical firms began specializing in phytopharmaceuticals in the early part of the twentieth century. These companies have played a prominent role in researching, developing and promoting herbal medicines. Herbs today are a growing part of modern, high-tech medicine.
Which Plants Are Herbs? Herbs are any plants which have a use, whether as medicine, food, preservative, flavoring, cosmetic or scent.
How Do Herbs Work? Plants work as medicines because they have a powerful effect upon the human body in a number of actions. In addition, some healing plants look very similar to other, poisonous, plants. Never use a plant unless it is prescribed by a qualified herbalist or unless you are absolutely sure of its botanical identity, its safety and how it should be used. The information contained herein is introductory in nature and is not intended as a substitute for professional knowledge. We accept no responsibility for the unsafe use of plants by readers of this material. See the section Herbal Education for resources for further study.
