Herbal remedies, western

Encyclopedia of Medicine, Apr 06, 2001 by Leonard C. Bruno

A consultation with a medical herbalist or naturopath usually begins with an interview that may take as long as one hour. It is important that the specialist learn about the patient from as many angles as possible. Thus, he or she also may ask non-medical questions concerning the client's worries, or certain personality traits, as well as some value-oriented questions. Describing oneself, as well as one's physical complaints and symptoms, allows the therapist to assess the patient and, in turn, be assessed by the patient. Medical herbalists are also qualified to conduct a routine physical examination, such as any doctor might do. The therapist then arrives at some understanding of the total person as well as the patient's medical condition, and eventually discovers the cause of the problem without necessarily being able to give it a name or a diagnosis. By the end of the appointment, the herbalist will have told the patient what he or she believes the problem to be and what is necessary to correct it.

In addition to suggesting dietary and exercise changes, the herbalist will prescribe a suitable herbal remedy, telling the patient how and when to take or use the prescription. Follow-up appointments are often suggested. Throughout this process, the herbalist examines and studies a person--not a condition, seeking to prescribe a remedy for that person and not just for his or her specific complaint.

Often, an herbal remedy will be composed of plants whose names are recognized by few people, yet many of modern medicine's standard pharmaceuticals, in fact, were derived from plants. Most know that aspirin came from the bark of the willow tree, and that morphine and codeine are derived from the opium poppy. Chamomile and peppermint are recognized relaxants, and aloe effectively soothes skin problems. The heart drug digoxin comes from the common flower called foxglove. Tubocurarine, the most powerful muscle relaxant known, is derived from a South American plant containing curare. Cocaine comes from the cocoa plant, and the anti-malarial quinine is derived from the cinchona tree. Probably the best known and most popular plant in the world is ginseng, a tonic drug that reputedly builds vital energy. Clinical studies of other, less well-known plants have demonstrated their effective properties. Valerian has been helpful for insomnia, garlic has reduced blood pressure and cholesterol levels, and St. John's wort has been shown to have powerful antiviral qualities. In the case of these and hundreds of other "herbals," there is nothing unscientific or unproved about their physical effects. Herbal remedies are indeed chemicals in their natural state and should be regarded as dilute forms of drugs that can produce a biological effect.

New uses for old plants are continuing to be realized. In 1993, the British medical journal Lancet reported that in tests conducted in both Germany and Italy, extracts from the ancient Chinese ginkgo tree were successful in treating cerebral insufficiency in older patients. As a remedy that improves the circulation of blood to the head, it is able to help the memory of elderly people. The Latin name for the purple cone flower is Echinacea, and its demonstrated ability to stimulate the body's natural immune system makes it a candidate to treat some patients with HIV infection. These and other breakthroughs continually point to the validity of naturally occurring remedies.