Herbal Medicines: Do They Really Work?
The use of herbal medicine as one element of complementary and alternative medicine is increasing worldwide. Herbal medicines, both crude and refined, are not new. Since ancient times, herbal medicine has been used by many different cultures throughout the world to treat illness and to assist bodily functions.
In the past modern science has considered methods of traditional knowledge of herbal medicine as primitive such that during the colonial era traditional medical practices were often declared as illegal by the colonial authorities. However, it’s important to note today that of the 252 drugs on the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) essential medicine list, 11 percent are exclusively of plant origin. Many have turned to herbal remedies for the treatment of a number of health co
