This is a rather controversial question - how effective is herbal medicine and whether it is an alternative method of treatment. But one thing is clear - this treatment is perceived easier, without causing a toxic change in the body. In most cases, if you properly examine the effect of a particular remedy and take it correctly, it can lead not only to complete cure, but also to strengthen the body as a whole. So, phytotherapy: definition, advantages and disadvantages is the topic of conversation for today.
The essence of phytotherapy
Without a doubt, the most valuable for a person is his health, which largely depends on the way of life and the relationship with the environment. When problems arise, many of us are looking for new, more effective and "prestigious" synthetic drugs, forgetting about ancient folk medicine. But after thousands of years, a person was treated (and successfully treated) only with the help of herbs.
Phytotherapy is an alternative treatment based on the healing properties of herbs, which is good tolerated and has few serious side effects. To date, about 500,000 species of plants are known, but only about 5% of them are considered pharmacologically active substances. This shows only one thing - there are a huge number of species not yet studied by physicians, and there are opportunities for discovering new medicinal properties of plants.
In Russia, about 650 medicinal plants are used, 300 species are collected annually. Because of different climatic and soil conditions, the natural stocks of herbs are also different. This depends on the food sources of plants containing a high percentage of biologically active substances. They are rich in various chemical compounds, such as alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, polysaccharides, tannins, flavonoids, coumarins, essential oils, vitamins and trace elements.
"Medicine is the art of using the healing power of nature"
This opinion was expressed by Hippocrates, and it has been repeatedly tested over the centuries. For example, even in ancient Assyria there were special schools for growing medicinal plants, and ancient Egyptian papyri described the beneficial effect on the body of many plants, such as mint, plantain and poppy.
For the first time, a Roman physician, Galen Claudius, suggested using tinctures and extracts from plants with medicinal intentions. Avicenna, in turn, compiled a catalog designed for medical purposes, which described more than 900 plants, most of which are today officially considered medicinal. Several centuries later, a kind of phytotherapy came to the Thracians and Slavs, who also began to attach great importance to the processes of influence and effectiveness of plants on the human body. Phytotherapy gradually becomes one of the most important items of traditional medicine.
Today (according to WHO) about 80% of people use drugs of natural origin in the primary care system. This fact as nothing else speaks in favor of phytotherapy - people have been studying the advantages and disadvantages of this method for a long time and quite successfully. It also provides great opportunities for inducing pharmaceutical companies to use medicinal plants for the synthesis of biologically active additives and medicines in various fields of medicine.
How are they treated with phytotherapy?
All medicinal plants that do not contain toxic and highly toxic substances can be used to prepare formulations for indoor and outdoor use at home. The method of preparation usually depends on the chemical composition of the active substances, their solubility in various liquids (for example, in water or alcohol), such as parts of plants (flowers, leaves, roots, seeds, etc.).
The most commonly used in folk medicine are extracts, infusions and decoctions. Each product has its advantages and disadvantages. They are prepared from leaves, flowers or other plant organs, from which it is easy to extract active substances prepared in the form of infusion. The only exception is the grapes, which are prepared as a decoction, as well as all the hard parts of plants.
- Infusions (infusions)
Prepared from chopped herbs, which are placed in a porcelain or glass container and poured with the recommended amount of water. It is better that the water has a temperature not higher than in the room. The vessel is closed with a lid and heated in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, often stirring. After removing from the water bath, you need to let it stand for about 45 minutes, then the infusion is added with water in the prescribed size. - Potions
These are extracts obtained after prolonged heating of the plants in a water bath. Herbs are placed in a porcelain vessel and poured with the recommended amount of boiled water, infused for 30 minutes, stirring constantly. After the drug is cooled to room temperature, filtered and brought to the correct volume. The basic requirements for opening and infusion should be ready daily, they should be stored in a dark and cool place, but not more than 3 days. It should be noted that infusions and decoctions of plant materials have a particularly strong effect and are used only by prescription. - Tinctures on alcohol
They are produced by adding alcoholic liquids, water and ether extracts to plant raw materials and the final product is obtained without heating. Most often, in order to prepare them, 70% of alcohol is required. The plant material is placed in a suitable container and poured with alcohol, boiled water and left for 7 days. After a week, the tincture is filtered and poured into a constant container. Tincture can be used for a long time, it does not deteriorate and does not lose its properties. In addition, the tincture maximizes the taste characteristic of the feedstock. - Extracts
These are concentrated extracts from plant material. Depending on the sequence of preparation, they can be liquid, thick or liquid with a moisture content of not more than 5%. Not recommended for home preparation. - Poultices
Finely chopped parts of grass are poured a little with warm water (30 °). It is applied externally in the form of compresses. It is simply to spread the plant mass to gauze and put it on the sore spot.
This type of treatment is an integral part of the culture of many peoples and occupies an important place in human life. In this regard, the preparation of more effective drugs for the treatment and prevention of diseases based on medicinal plants is of particular importance. In the world practice, about 40% of medicines obtained from the chemical and pharmaceutical industry are prepared from plant raw materials. Based on medicinal plants, produce about 80% of the drugs needed to treat cardiovascular, pulmonary and gastrointestinal diseases.
Medicinal plants are used as raw materials for the isolation of chemicals that, due to various methods of action, are divided into corticosteroids, hormones and others.
Particularly useful is the use of herbs and preparations derived from them, for the treatment of chronic diseases that require prolonged exposure. The good tolerability and low toxicity of most of them allow long-term treatment when they do not contain substances that can be addictive and cause addiction.
It should be noted that uncontrolled, unreasonable and incorrect acceptance of medicines and vegetable additives in some cases can lead to negative consequences for the body. Particular attention should be paid to pregnant women, young children and people with allergies. Also, phytotherapy is not safe for those who have demonstrated intolerance to certain substances. In such cases, specialist advice is mandatory.