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History of Herbal Medication
by Bruce Maul
The use of herbs as medicine finds its way into prehistory. Primeval paintings discovered in the caves of Lascaux, France showed evidence of its use. Moreover, herbs were discovered among the personal effects of the preserved remains of prehistoric men, both in the caves of Iraq and the Swiss Alps.
It is common knowledge how the ancient civilizations of Egypt, Persia, China, and India used herbal extracts to cure ailments in those days. It appears that most cultures, from anywhere around the world, have extensively utilized herbal remedies in one form or another. Ancient cultures put high regard over the sanctity of nature and thus herbs held symbolic meaning in rituals to put forth a spiritual cleansing and healing rather than just provide a cure to pertinent bodily illnesses.
During the medieval period, medical procedures and cures were clustered around the use of herbs and herbal medication, particularly with the masses that could not seek the services of physicians. It was also in this era that the Doctrine of Signatures flourished, as medical practitioners took on a more methodical approach toward the use of plants as remedy, matching pertinent plant properties, such as bud color, to help determine a plants medicinal value.
Oral tradition did well to preserve the heritage of herbal remedies from one generation to the next, making it a rich component of culture while being integrated into the local folklore. However, the invention of the printing press in the 15th century expedited its popularity through reprints of herbal medicine recipes until herbal remedies became a common household name by the turn of the 17th century.
Sadly, herbal medication lost its ground to conventional medicine in the 19th century with its nature distorted by the perceptions held by proponents of allopathic medicine, labeling it as an inferior medical practice. It was only in the early 80s that the World Health Organization revived the significance of herbs to health care and well being. While contention remains over the use of herbal remedies for medication over the more popular pharmaceutical drugs, herbal remedies are gaining prominence, both commercially and in the medical field as the precursor of the modern day drug.
Bruce Maul is a partner associated with My Herbal Remedy Store which provides effective Herbal Medication and other health related products. Learn more by visiting http://www.myherbalremedystore.com
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