Herbal medicine and homeopathy – #Part 1
Jul 14, 2021 14:14:04 GMT
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Post by gordana on Jul 14, 2021 14:14:04 GMT
This article is written for the needs of one college, and I wasn't sure if it belonged here ie. how useful it actually is. However, I decided to publish it, because I sincerely hope that more visitors and members will join this forum, and in that case, it could be interesting to readers who are not homeopaths.
Introduction to herbal medicine and homeopathy
Although herbal medicine as well as homeopathy, is mostly known all around the world, there still are some confusion related to difference between these medical systems. This confusion is significantly caused by the fact that most of homeopathic remedies are made from the plants, but there is also something more that makes that people often confuse these two medicine systems.
Let's start from history.
History of herbal medicine – The past and the present
The use of plants for the purpose of feeding and treatment is as old as mankind. By using herbs in daily diet, man has gradually noticed some of their medicinal properties. Considering that did not have knowledge about the causes of diseases, nor on what plant and which way could be used for treatment, the use was based on experience. Over time, the reasons of specific use of medicinal plants for certain diseases have been detected, so the use of drugs gradually emerged from the empirical framework and was later based on the facts that explained it. Until the advent of iatrochemistry in the 16th century, plants were the basis of healing and prophylaxis.
People believed in the healing properties of plants so much, that they became a trademark of gods and deities of drugs and treatment. In Minoan civilization on Crete the poppy was the trademark of Great Goddess of drugs and treatment and always was presented with poppy seeds on the rim of the hat. Due to their medicinal properties and widespread use, some plant species have been declared sacred plants.
That was the case with onion and garlic. Egyptian doctors swore by them. The tubers of these plants were placed as gifts in the tombs of kings. In fact, unknowingly, people used the disinfectant and antibiotic properties of the sulfur compounds found in them.
Plants with tropical alkaloids have been used in magical rituals and as aphrodisiacs, due to opioid and hallucinogenic effects, and in many cultures they have acquired magical or symbolic meaning. For this purpose, the most commonly used plants are from the Solanaceae family (auxiliary plants): mandrake (Mandragora officinarum), nightshade (Atropa belladonna) and black beech (Hyoscyamus niger).
Mandrake is one of the most famous sacred plants, whose magical power is a consequence of the accidental harmony of two factors: the root in the shape of the human body with pronounced male and female genitalia, and the alkaloid composition that causes hallucinogenic effects. Due to that, mandrake became a very highly valued plant, with a wide range of power. It is also mentioned in the Old Testament.
The peoples of Mesopotamia and Egypt combined it with other tropical alkaloids of the Solanaceae family in various preparations for drinking and lubricating the skin. The root in wine was used as a narcotic and an anesthetic. Figurines made from the roots were worn as amulets for good health and protection against diseases, and women wore them against sterility. In addition to the unusual root, its fruits known as "Aphrodite's apples" were used, which were a symbol of love. Mandrake fruits were found in Tutankhamun's tomb, in the flower wreath of the pharaoh. The Roman encyclopedist Aulus Cornelius Celsus, in his work "De re medica" (On Medical Material/Materia Medica) in the 1st century, writes that sleep is calmer and deeper when the mandrake fruit is placed under a pillow. Dioscorides used it as an anesthetic during surgical interventions, as medication for eyes, as agent for abortion as well asbsomnifacient. Galen had used root of mandrake cooked in wine as anesthetic, and with the honey he has made suppositories that were used as the somnifacient.
The Jewish tradition also knew mandrake.
In the Middle Ages, mandrake reached the peak of its reputation when it was called a magical plant. The mere mention of a "little planted man" caused great fear because of the risk during the harvest. It was believed that when taken out of the ground, the plant produced a scream. Theophrastus wrote that this cry can kill anyone who hears it. This belief is mentioned in Shakespeare's tragedy "Romeo and Juliet".
Indeed, medicinal and magical properties of the mandrake were large and widespread.
People believed in the healing properties of plants so much, that they became a trademark of gods and deities of drugs and treatment. In Minoan civilization on Crete the poppy was the trademark of Great Goddess of drugs and treatment and always was presented with poppy seeds on the rim of the hat. Due to their medicinal properties and widespread use, some plant species have been declared sacred plants.
That was the case with onion and garlic. Egyptian doctors swore by them. The tubers of these plants were placed as gifts in the tombs of kings. In fact, unknowingly, people used the disinfectant and antibiotic properties of the sulfur compounds found in them.
Plants with tropical alkaloids have been used in magical rituals and as aphrodisiacs, due to opioid and hallucinogenic effects, and in many cultures they have acquired magical or symbolic meaning. For this purpose, the most commonly used plants are from the Solanaceae family (auxiliary plants): mandrake (Mandragora officinarum), nightshade (Atropa belladonna) and black beech (Hyoscyamus niger).
Mandrake is one of the most famous sacred plants, whose magical power is a consequence of the accidental harmony of two factors: the root in the shape of the human body with pronounced male and female genitalia, and the alkaloid composition that causes hallucinogenic effects. Due to that, mandrake became a very highly valued plant, with a wide range of power. It is also mentioned in the Old Testament.
The peoples of Mesopotamia and Egypt combined it with other tropical alkaloids of the Solanaceae family in various preparations for drinking and lubricating the skin. The root in wine was used as a narcotic and an anesthetic. Figurines made from the roots were worn as amulets for good health and protection against diseases, and women wore them against sterility. In addition to the unusual root, its fruits known as "Aphrodite's apples" were used, which were a symbol of love. Mandrake fruits were found in Tutankhamun's tomb, in the flower wreath of the pharaoh. The Roman encyclopedist Aulus Cornelius Celsus, in his work "De re medica" (On Medical Material/Materia Medica) in the 1st century, writes that sleep is calmer and deeper when the mandrake fruit is placed under a pillow. Dioscorides used it as an anesthetic during surgical interventions, as medication for eyes, as agent for abortion as well asbsomnifacient. Galen had used root of mandrake cooked in wine as anesthetic, and with the honey he has made suppositories that were used as the somnifacient.
The Jewish tradition also knew mandrake.
In the Middle Ages, mandrake reached the peak of its reputation when it was called a magical plant. The mere mention of a "little planted man" caused great fear because of the risk during the harvest. It was believed that when taken out of the ground, the plant produced a scream. Theophrastus wrote that this cry can kill anyone who hears it. This belief is mentioned in Shakespeare's tragedy "Romeo and Juliet".
Indeed, medicinal and magical properties of the mandrake were large and widespread.
The oldest written record about the use medicinal herbs for the production of drugs and the treatment was found on Sumerian clay tile from Nippur, dating back nearly 5.000 years. It contains 12 recipes for making of drugs, mentioning over 250 different plants, including some of the alkaloid: poppy, henbane and mandrake.
Chinese book on roots and plants "Shennong Ben Cao Jing" (Che-Nung-pen-ts`ao-ching; Shen-nung Pen-tsao Ching), written around 2800. BC, which some farcamo-historians believe to be the oldest pharmacopoeia in the world, contains descriptions of more than 250 herbal remedies. Many of them are still used today: Rhei rhisoma, Camphora, Cinammomi cortex and Theae folium. Ancient peoples highly valued these medicines, although it was not known for a long time that many of them originated in China.
In the Ebers papyrus, written in Thebes around 1550. BC a large number of herbal species and medicines used in treatment are mentioned. Here we will mention only some: beech (Hyosciamus niger, Solanaceae), pomegranate (Punica granatum, Punicaceae), castor oil (Ricinus communis, Euphorbiaceae), aloe (Aloe sp., Liliaceae), senna (Cassia spp., Fabaceae), onion and garlic (Allium cepa and Allium sativum, Alliaceae), fig (Ficus carica, Moraceae), white willow (Salix alba, Salicaceae), coriander (Coriandrum sativum, Apiaceae), juniper (Juniperus communis, Cupressaceaa) and centaury (Centaurium erythraea, Gentianaceae).
Chinese book on roots and plants "Shennong Ben Cao Jing" (Che-Nung-pen-ts`ao-ching; Shen-nung Pen-tsao Ching), written around 2800. BC, which some farcamo-historians believe to be the oldest pharmacopoeia in the world, contains descriptions of more than 250 herbal remedies. Many of them are still used today: Rhei rhisoma, Camphora, Cinammomi cortex and Theae folium. Ancient peoples highly valued these medicines, although it was not known for a long time that many of them originated in China.
In the Ebers papyrus, written in Thebes around 1550. BC a large number of herbal species and medicines used in treatment are mentioned. Here we will mention only some: beech (Hyosciamus niger, Solanaceae), pomegranate (Punica granatum, Punicaceae), castor oil (Ricinus communis, Euphorbiaceae), aloe (Aloe sp., Liliaceae), senna (Cassia spp., Fabaceae), onion and garlic (Allium cepa and Allium sativum, Alliaceae), fig (Ficus carica, Moraceae), white willow (Salix alba, Salicaceae), coriander (Coriandrum sativum, Apiaceae), juniper (Juniperus communis, Cupressaceaa) and centaury (Centaurium erythraea, Gentianaceae).
Greek philosopher Herodotus first points to the relation between the pyramids and garlic and onions, which according to the inscription on the pyramids, were used in nutrition the bricklayers, to give them the strength for hard physical labor.
According to Bible and Jewish holy book Talmud, during various rituals that accompanied the treatment, were used aromatic resins, mostly myrrh (Myrrh) and incense (Olibanum).
In the Indian holy books of Vedas, herbal treatments are mentioned. Many herbs originate from India: sea nut, pepper, cloves and others. In Homer's epics "Iliad" and "Odyssey", created around 800. BC we come across 63 herbal species from Minoan, Mycenaean, and Egyptian-Assyrian pharmacotherapy.
The most important writer of ancient times about herbal medicine is Dioscorides (Pedanios Dioscorides), a Greek from Anazarba, who as a physician-pharmacist of Nero's army studied plants everywhere he went with the Roman army. Approximately 77th year he wrote the doctrine of medicine in five books – "De Materia medica libri quinque". This classic work of ancient times provides a wealth of information about herbal medicinal products that were the basis of the material of medicine until the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
The most famous Roman physician-pharmacist Galen compiled the first list of drugs with similar or same therapeutic effect (parallel drugs) that can replace each other – "De succedanus".
In the Middle Ages, under the influence of religion, a cultivation and use of medicinal plants retreats in monasteries.
Approximately 1000th year Ibn Sina wrote a detailed medical textbook "Canon medicinae", that represented the best medical book until the end of the 15th century.
Approximately 1000th year Ibn Sina wrote a detailed medical textbook "Canon medicinae", that represented the best medical book until the end of the 15th century.
The nun Hildegard von Bingen (1098-1179), an exceptional woman who was an advisor to kings, bishops and other church dignitaries at a time of extreme gender discrimination, has been called by her admirers "one of most important figures in the history of the Middle Ages". She was a visionary, mystic, writer and composer.
One part of her visions was in connection with herbs, what was considered as a gift from God, and therefore she dealt with the collecting, researching, and healing with plants. She thought that the consumption of selected plants that have healing power can re-establish the balance of health. In her book "Physica", probably for the first time, a recipe for the use of hops for beer production in pharmacognosy was presented.
Nun Hildegard travelled throughout southern Germany, into Switzerland and as far as Paris, preaching. She gathered the knowledge and experience of people throughout Central Europe.
This was of great importance because many plants from Central and Western Europe have not been described earlier.
One part of her visions was in connection with herbs, what was considered as a gift from God, and therefore she dealt with the collecting, researching, and healing with plants. She thought that the consumption of selected plants that have healing power can re-establish the balance of health. In her book "Physica", probably for the first time, a recipe for the use of hops for beer production in pharmacognosy was presented.
Nun Hildegard travelled throughout southern Germany, into Switzerland and as far as Paris, preaching. She gathered the knowledge and experience of people throughout Central Europe.
This was of great importance because many plants from Central and Western Europe have not been described earlier.
Advent of Paracelsus (1493-1541) and the introduction of chemical drugs in treatment (iatrochemistry), not only was the interest in medicinal plants not reduced, but a chemical study of the medicinal ingredients of plants was initiated, which marked the development of science in the 17th and 18th centuries. The alchemical doctrine of the signature played a significant role in the development of plant classification because morphological information on plant species was collected. Based on the belief that the healing properties of plants are shown in their appearance (morphology), physicians, following the signs of nature, recommended St. John's wort leaves to treat wounds and bites, because the leaves of this plant look as pierced, while yellow flowers and roots were used for jaundice.
The first systematization of plants was set by the Swedish botanist Carl von Linné in 1735. In his work "Systema Naturae" he presented the binomial nomenclature (he gave the name of the genus and species and the Latin name for each plant) and the botanical system of species identification, which due to its transparency has remained to this day.
The discovery of America and the route to India led to the European pharmacopoeia being enriched with many new herbal medicines. Of the many, we issue quinine, due to its exceptional importance in the treatment of malaria, which is similar to the importance of introducing gunpowder for military purposes.
As we will see later, quinine bark played a decisive role in the discovery of homeopathy.
As we will see later, quinine bark played a decisive role in the discovery of homeopathy.
A lot of things have been said about mandrake, but there are just few plants that have had so turbulent and interesting history as Cinchona. People in South America have been used the bark of cinchona since ancient times, to treat fever, especially malaria, as a food supplement in the form of dry powder or as decoctions. There are records that diseased llamas gnawed peeled bark of cinchona tree and thus recovered. Hence the name the bark of cina or cinchona, what on the Inca language means "extraordinary bark". There are over 30 cinchona species of Cinchona genus in Rubiaceae family.
There have been many tests of cinchona bark, many experiences in the application, and many results. Nevertheless, the most important achievements were when a Portuguese naval surgeon named Bernardino A. Gomez managed to isolate one active substance from Cinchonae cortex and named it cinchonine in 1810, and the other, when Parisian pharmacists Pelletier and Caventou in 1820 proved the presence of two alkaloids in cinchona bark, cinchonine and quinine, of which the latter one had pronounced anti-malarial properties.
Nowadays we use many herbal drugs, primarily as a raw material for the extraction. Since the isolation of the first alkaloids and to date, over a period of nearly two hundred years, was examined a large number of plants, isolated millions of active ingredients, of which a few thousand different alkaloids, but in modern pharmacology they are not all in use. Although pharmaceutical industry is primarily focused on obtaining synthetic or semi-synthetic components, there is a renewed interest for the isolation of pharmaceutical active ingredients from plants. Many pharmaceutical companies around the world are investing significant funds in research of active ingredients found in plants that have been used in traditional medicine and pharmacy for centuries.
On the other hand, the use of plants actually had never stopped. From culture to culture and nation to nation, the herbal medicine is incessantly present in healing – since ancient times until this day. The Chinese traditional medicine is the most meritorious for the survival and development of herbalism.
There have been many tests of cinchona bark, many experiences in the application, and many results. Nevertheless, the most important achievements were when a Portuguese naval surgeon named Bernardino A. Gomez managed to isolate one active substance from Cinchonae cortex and named it cinchonine in 1810, and the other, when Parisian pharmacists Pelletier and Caventou in 1820 proved the presence of two alkaloids in cinchona bark, cinchonine and quinine, of which the latter one had pronounced anti-malarial properties.
Nowadays we use many herbal drugs, primarily as a raw material for the extraction. Since the isolation of the first alkaloids and to date, over a period of nearly two hundred years, was examined a large number of plants, isolated millions of active ingredients, of which a few thousand different alkaloids, but in modern pharmacology they are not all in use. Although pharmaceutical industry is primarily focused on obtaining synthetic or semi-synthetic components, there is a renewed interest for the isolation of pharmaceutical active ingredients from plants. Many pharmaceutical companies around the world are investing significant funds in research of active ingredients found in plants that have been used in traditional medicine and pharmacy for centuries.
On the other hand, the use of plants actually had never stopped. From culture to culture and nation to nation, the herbal medicine is incessantly present in healing – since ancient times until this day. The Chinese traditional medicine is the most meritorious for the survival and development of herbalism.
In the book "Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects, 2nd edition" we have the excellent explanation of the status of herbal medicine in the present:
"Over the past 100 years, the development and mass production of chemically synthesized drugs have revolutionized health care in most parts of the word. However, large sections of the population in developing countries still rely on traditional practitioners and herbal medicines for their primary care. In Africa up to 90% and in India 70% of the population depend on traditional medicine to help meet their health care needs. In China, traditional medicine accounts for around 40% of all health care delivered and more than 90% of general hospitals in China have units for traditional medicine (WHO 2005).
However, use of traditional medicine is not limited to developing countries, and during the past two decades public interest in natural therapies has increased greatly in industrialized countries, with expanding use of ethnobotanicals. In the United States, in 2007, about 38% of adults and 12% of children were using some form of traditional medicine (Ernst, Schmidt, and Wider 2005; Barnes, Bloom, and Nahin 2008). According to a survey by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (Barnes, Bloom, and Nahin 2008), herbal therapy or the usage of natural products other than vitamins and minerals was the most commonly used alternative medicine (18.9%) when all use of prayer was excluded. A survey conducted in Hong Kong in 2003 reported that 40% of the subjects surveyed showed marked faith in TCM compared with Western medicine (Chan et al. 2003). In a survey of 21.923 adults in the United States, 12.8% took at least one herbal supplement (Harrison et al. 2004) and in another survey (Qato et al. 2008), 42% of respondents used dietary or nutritional supplements, with multivitamins and minerals most commonly used, followed by saw palmetto, flax, garlic, and Ginkgo, at the time of the interview."
(Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition. Chapter 1, Herbal Medicine – An Introduction to Its History, Usage, Regulation, Current Trends, and Research Needs; Sissi Wachtel-Galor and Iris F. F. Benzie)
The next, 2nd part of the article will start with the chapter: Homeopathy – Unveiling the history
However, use of traditional medicine is not limited to developing countries, and during the past two decades public interest in natural therapies has increased greatly in industrialized countries, with expanding use of ethnobotanicals. In the United States, in 2007, about 38% of adults and 12% of children were using some form of traditional medicine (Ernst, Schmidt, and Wider 2005; Barnes, Bloom, and Nahin 2008). According to a survey by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (Barnes, Bloom, and Nahin 2008), herbal therapy or the usage of natural products other than vitamins and minerals was the most commonly used alternative medicine (18.9%) when all use of prayer was excluded. A survey conducted in Hong Kong in 2003 reported that 40% of the subjects surveyed showed marked faith in TCM compared with Western medicine (Chan et al. 2003). In a survey of 21.923 adults in the United States, 12.8% took at least one herbal supplement (Harrison et al. 2004) and in another survey (Qato et al. 2008), 42% of respondents used dietary or nutritional supplements, with multivitamins and minerals most commonly used, followed by saw palmetto, flax, garlic, and Ginkgo, at the time of the interview."
(Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition. Chapter 1, Herbal Medicine – An Introduction to Its History, Usage, Regulation, Current Trends, and Research Needs; Sissi Wachtel-Galor and Iris F. F. Benzie)
The next, 2nd part of the article will start with the chapter: Homeopathy – Unveiling the history
Thanks for reading so far.
G. Jujić