Despite the fact that now natural treatment is in vogue, plant treatment is not a new concept. How would you react if your doctor prescribes a poultice to treat your congion? And advises you to use a mixture of leaves and bark for your fever? And instead of a recipe, do you give tea for your cough?
In nature, animals challenge their instincts to recover and eat grass when they are sick. Chimpanzees and pygmy chimpanzees chew grass, called marshmallow root, when they have a stomach ache. It may be the oldest form of medicine with plants.
Before the advent of neighboring pharmacies, medicine with plants was already common practice. Each country, according to its culture, practiced medicine using plants in different ways. The relationship between living plants, medicines and healing refers to the beginning of medicine, which dates back to 3700 BC. The Egyptians were pioneers of medicine with plants, followed by the Chinese, the Greeks and the Romans.
When most of the settlers were deprived of doctors and medical care, natural medicine became popular. Although new and better treatments were achievable, the settlers continued to focus on traditional remedies. Many of these drugs survived until the twentieth century and are still used for treatment in remote areas of the globe.
The first settlers shared a common belief that the most unpleasant fabrications were the most effective. Some of these drugs are used today in patented preparations, such as wild cherries, to heal cough.
Many plants provide the basic ingredients used in the preparation of medicines and remedies. The bark and leaves of white and black willow infusion can reduce fever (willow produces salicylic acid, which is contained in aspirin).
Boiled leaves and sprigs of red cedar were inhaled for the treatment of bronchitis.
Sassafras, ballot and pennyroyl are brewed into tea and used to treat cough and cold.
White pine was used to treat wounds and ulcers.
Hemlock powder cortex was used to stop bleeding incisions.
Hemlock bark tannins have been used to treat burns.
Rhododendron resin used to treat rheumatism.
Pine needles have been used to treat toothache.
Poultice was also highly appreciated. A poultice cooked with mustard flour was used to treat flocks. A poultice containing weeds and yarrow was placed on wounds to prevent infection.
At the beginning of the 19th century, chemical analysis was developed, and then it was available to researchers. They began to modify and extract the active ingredients of plants. Later, chemists released their own versions of herbal mixtures. This began the transition from raw herbs to synthetic pharmaceutical products. Over time, when pharmaceuticals are becoming increasingly popular, the use of herbal medicines has decreased. Today, 25% of all our medicines come from chemicals emitted from natural substances.
Why use hazardous chemicals and hazardous drugs if you can resort to natural herbs that have the same effect? Traditionally, people used the power of nature to bind any pain.
Research continues to demonstrate the value of medicinal plants in the treatment and prevention of disease, natural medicine is increasingly recognized by general consensus. However, the healing potential of thousands of plants, especially in remote areas of the world, is far from being known and suffers from a lack of documentation. Consequently, the possibilities remain endless.
