Herbal Medicine

The use of plants for medicinal purposes predicts recorded history and forms the origin of modern medicine. Many of the most common drugs come from plant sources: 100 years ago, most of the few active drugs were plant-based. Examples include aspirin (from willow bark), digoxin (from foxglove), quinine (from cinchona bark), and morphine (from opium poppy). Development of drugs from plants is underway, with drug companies involved in intensive drug testing. Modern Western herbalism emphasizes the effects of herbs on each body type. For example, herbs may be used for their anti-inflammatory, hemostatic, expectorant, antispasmodic, or immunostimulatory properties.

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