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1. HERBAL MEDICINES
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2. WHAT IS HERBAL MEDICINE?
• Use of whole plants in the promotion of health and the
treatment of disease.
• Primary medicine of over 80% of the world's population
• Evidence of human use for more than 60 000
years e.g. pollens from yarrow, marshmallow and
ephedra found at the burial site of a Neanderthal man in
Iraq
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3. HERBAL APPROACH
• Broader view of disease looking at the underlying causes
and individual expression of disease not just the
presenting symptoms
• Prescription to restore homeostasis
• Promotion of optimal cellular nutrition and elimination
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4. HERBAL MEDICINE IN THE UK
• 1 in 5 regularly use CAM - Herb no 1
• European market 2001 3.2 billion Euros
• Registered herbalists: ~ 650 Western, 550 Chinese, 150
Ayurvedic & 56 other
• Unregistered ~ Approximately 1000
• 6 BSc NIMH accredited courses
• EHPA - Statutory Self Regulation
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5. IS HERBAL MEDICINE THE SAME AS
HOMEOPATHY?
• No!
• Longer tradition - 60 000 years of use
• Different philosophy & approach
• Only plant based medicines
• Medicinal plants used in material doses not in
homeopathic potency
• Potential for herb-drug interactions
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6. THE HERBAL CONSULTATION
• Client details including GP
• Comprehensive medical history
• Clinical examination & assessment
• Diagnosis & prognosis
• Discussion & advice
• Individualised prescription & dispensing
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7. WHY USE MEDICINAL PLANTS?
• Whole plant medicines usually have a more gentle and
balanced effect
• Synergy within a plant & between plants
• Low cost
• Promote homeostatic mechanisms not suppress the
body’s efforts heal
• Safe and effective treatment option when
pharmaceuticals inappropriate
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8. SCOPE OF HERBAL MEDICINE
• Nutrition: food & nutrients e.g.
Coriander, Garlic, Nettle & Oats
• Maintenance of Health: systems e.g.Dandelion,
Garlic & Slippery Elm
• Treatment of Disease: acute & chronic e.g.
self-medication, over-the-counter-products, medical
herbalist & other practitioners
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9. HERBAL MEDICINES
• Herbal medicines prescribed according to the needs of
the individual patient
• Traceable products from unpolluted and sustainable
sources
• Versatility of herbal preparations e.g. fresh,
juice, tisane, tincture, syrup, aromatic water, powder,
capsule, tablet, pessary, lotion, cream, ointment & oil
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10. SOURCES OF HERBAL MEDICINES
• Cultivated and wild plants where appropriate
• A Medical Herbalist
• Herbal shop or other retail outlet e.g. Napiers 0131 553 7999
www.napierstheherbalists.com
• Avicenna 01570 471 000 avicenna@clara.co.uk
• Herbal Apothecary 0116 2602690 www.herbalapothecary.net
• The Organic Herb Trading Co. 01823 401205
www.organicherbtrading.com
• Phyto Products 01623 644334 www.phyto.co.uk
• Rutland Biodynamics Tel 01572 757440 www.rutlandbio.com
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11. SAFETY
• Few reports of adverse events following the use of
medicinal plants
• Plant misidentification, substitution, adulteration and
herb-drug interactions
• Improving quality control and labelling
• NIMH suspected adverse event reporting scheme
• Awareness of herb-drug interactions
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12. RESEARCH
• In vitro analysis with chromatography
• RCT’s Serenoa repens, Carduus marianus, Echinacea
spp., Ginkgo biloba, Cimicifuga racemosa, Hypericum
perforatum &Valeriana officinalis
• NIMH - herbal practice & clinical audit
• Laminitis Trust - Vitex agnus castus
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13. FURTHER READING
• Bartram T Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine Grace Publishers 1995
• Bone K Clinical Applications of Ayurvedic and Chinese Herbs
Phytotherapy Press1996
• Bradley P R British Herbal Compendium Vol. 1 British Herbal Medicine
Association 1992
• British Herbal Medicine Association British Herbal Pharmacopoeia 1983
BHMA 1983
• British Herbal Medicine Association British Herbal Pharmacopoeia 1990
Volume 1 BHMA 1990
• Chevalier A The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley
1996
• Evans W Trease and Evans’s Pharmacognosy W.B.Saunders Ltd 1996
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14. FURTHER READING CONTINUED
• Grieve M A Modern Herbal Jonathon Cape Ltd. 1931
• Griggs B Green Pharmacy Jill Norman and Hobhouse Ltd. 1981
• Hoffman D The New Holistic Herbal Element Books Ltd. 1990
• Mills S & Bone K Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy Churchill
Livingstone 2000
• Newall CA, Anderson LA & Phillipson J D Herbal Medicines - A Guide for
Healthcare Professionals The Pharmaceutical Press 1996
• Ody P The Herb Society’s Complete Medicinal Herbal Dorling Kindersley
1993
• Weiss R Herbal Medicine Beaconsfield Publishers Ltd 1988
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15. USEFUL WEBSITES
• www.ejhm.co.uk European Journal of Herbal
Medicine
• www.euroherb.com European Herbal Practitioners
Association
• www.ex.ac.uk/phytonet/phytojournal European
Scientific Co-operative on Phytotherapy - Clinical
Trials in Phytotherapy: From Concept to Publication
• www.nimh.org.uk National Institute of Medical
Herbalists
• www.trusthomeopathy.org Faculty of Homeopathy
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