Future Of Herbal Medicine Hinges On Public Acceptance

Centuries ago the ancient Chinese and Egyptians relied on botanicals for medicinal purposes and many regards still do so today. When some of the plants recommended and used were found to be too difficult to find and harvest, chemical alternatives were developed to replace them, while providing many of the same benefits. By reviewing the past success of botanicals, the future of herbal medicine may be one of wider acceptance.

As drug manufacturers learned they could create laboratory versions of many of the herbs, they began patenting their creations and devising other drugs that could perform the same functions. However, some of the chemical creations included unwanted side effects, in some cases causing problems unrelated to those they were meant to treat. As more drugs hit the market and their non-beneficial side effects become widely publicized, more people are taking a longer look at the future of herbal medicine.

Proponents of holistic medicine point out that to properly treat a problem, the entire body must be treated which can only be done with certain botanicals known to treat a variety of ailments. This can have a profound effect on the future of herbal medicine as many of the artificial drugs aim at one problem while ignoring other, possibly related problems.

Perception Is Key To Herbal Use Growth

Since the 19th century a few purveyors of "snake oil" has detracted from the integrity the using herbs for medical purposes and over a short period of time, aided by campaigns by drug manufacturers, many of the potential health aids began to be seen as nothing more than "snake oil" in fancier bottles. This perception affected the future of herbal medicine for many years, until herbalists and homeopathics began to fight back with their own public relations plans.

By slowly shedding the stigma of being a group of non-conformists, a growing segment of the medical community are beginning to advocate the use of botanicals in medical treatment. They point out that most of the today pharmaceuticals are the result of the use of herbs in the past, and with these revelations being publicized, the future of herbal medicine is looking brighter.

The one drawback to the herbal medicine industry is the unregulated state of the products being offered. Since they are considered plants, their use is not governed by the Food and Drug Administration. The inconsistency in the products and the amount of any active ingredient can vary from batch to batch and from maker to maker, may be promoting some of the negative publicity. By this industry developing a standardized formulation they could make the future of herbal medicine much brighter.