1. What is herbal medicine? correct answers Plants or plant parts (leaves, flowers, seeds, roots, bark) used for medicinal purposes:
• Over the millennia humans have learnt which plants have beneficial therapeutic effects in the body versus those with no effect or toxic effects.
• This is mos...
CNM Herbal Medicine || very Flawless.
1. What is herbal medicine? correct answers Plants or plant parts (leaves, flowers, seeds, roots, bark) used for medicinal purposes:
• Over the millennia humans have learnt which plants have beneficial therapeutic effects in the body versus those with no effect or toxic effects.
• This is most likely by observing animals using plants and by a process of 'trial and error'.
• There are estimated to be up to 30,000 different medicinal herbs in use globally.
• Every ecosystem contains a wealth of unique medicinal plants with therapeutic potential.
2. What is the history of herbal medicine? correct answers The use of herbs as medicine dates back thousands of years:
• Some of the earliest records from 1500BC describe how Ancient Egyptians used garlic and myrrh for medicinal purposes.
• Archaeological evidence reveals that herbs were used by Neanderthal man, who pre-date Homo
sapiens by many millennia.
• Animals also use plant medicines, most likely pre-dating human use by many years.
Cultures across the world and throughout history have used herbal medicines:
• This has lead to various traditions including: Ayurvedic medicine (South Asia). Chinese medicine (East Asia). Western herbal medicine ‒ ‒ ‒
(Europe and America).
• Each has distinct characteristics but fundamental philosophies remain closely aligned.
• A large percentage of the world's population still rely on herbal medicine as their primary means of healthcare.
3. How did medicine grow out of herbal medicine? correct answers • Until relatively recently herbs were still the main-stay of conventional doctors. E.g., garlic was a principal topical antibiotic during the first world war.
• However, modern medicine has evolved to dominate healthcare and plant medicines have been progressively replaced by synthetic pharmaceuticals.
• Plants have been and remain a source of drug discoveries, e.g., 'Metformin' for Type 2 diabetes was developed from goat's rue, a traditional blood sugar lowering herb. Aspirin has its origins in willow bark, a herb used for inflammation and pain.
4. How do herbs differ from foods? correct answers • Sometimes the difference is cultural, e.g., burdock root is a herbal medicine used for skin diseases in the West, but a tasty root vegetable in Japan.
• Culinary herbs are added to recipes to give colour or flavour. Used in this manner they can also
confer health benefits.
• Foods are most commonly considered for their macro and micro-nutrient content and are generally consumed in larger amounts (note: Many fruits and vegetables also contain phytonutrients).
• In contrast, medicinal herbs are used primarily for their concentration of phytochemicals, where
small amounts offer therapeutic benefits. 5. What is phytochemistry? correct answers Phytochemistry is the study of chemicals derived from plants and includes primary metabolites and secondary metabolites.
Every herbal medicine contains a variety of 'active' phytochemicals. Therefore, herbs have a range of therapeutic effects or 'actions'.
Research on phytochemistry is relatively extensive, though much has been conducted by pharmaceutical companies in their search for new drug constituents:
• Some of this information is useful, however, much is based on animal and in vitro studies which limits its relevance.
• Also consider — research on single phytochemicals does not reflect the fact that herbal medicines contain many chemicals that work together in complex ways to produce therapeutic effects.
• The best research is the evidence that comes from thousands of years of herbal practice!
6. What is the difference between primary and secondary metabolites? correct answers • Primary metabolites — compounds in the plant that are needed for the plant to grow and function.
Includes:
- Starch for energy storage. - Chlorophyll for carbohydrate production. - Cellulose to withstand cellular pressure. - Lignin for structural support.
• Primary metabolites are important in nutritional medicine e.g., starch provides energy, cellulose
and lignin provide digestive fibre.
Secondary metabolites assist the plants' survival within its environment e.g., defence against plant pathogens, protection from decomposition, compounds that attract pollinators.
• They are pharmacologically active in humans and central to the effects of herbal medicines e.g.,
coffee beans contain the alkaloid caffeine, a natural pesticide that protects the fruits against insect attacks. In human physiology caffeine acts as a CNS stimulant.
• Tannins in plants e.g., green tea protect the woody parts of the plant from decomposition and insects. Tannins astringe mucous membranes and reduce watery secretions (runny nose, diarrhoea).
7. What are the range of therapeutic effects of chamomile? correct answers Chamomile flowers for instance:
• Relax the central nervous system and reduce neural activity in states of stress or anxiety.
• Antispasmodic in the digestive system, relieving gas, bloating and colic pains.
• Anti-inflammatory for the skin and digestive tract mucous membranes.
• Anti-ulcer — protects against peptic ulceration.
8. Who regulates herbs as medicines? correct answers In the UK, herbs are regulated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA):
• The MHRA runs the Traditional Herbal Registration (THR) scheme.
• THR certification indicates the herbal medicine meets quality, safety and evidence criteria.
• THR products are licensed to treat specified conditions and carry a THR logo.
The legal situation for herbalists in Ireland is different to the UK, where they are legally recognised herbal practitioners:
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