DEVELOPMENT OF HERBAL MEDICINE DEVELOPMENT OF HERBAL MEDICINE

DEVELOPMENT OF HERBAL MEDICINE

DEVELOPMENT OF HERBAL MEDICINE SHUBHAM SINHA GROUP - 2

Early 19 th Century • From the earliest times, medicinal plants have • • • been crucial in sustaining health & well-being of humans E. g. Linum ussitassimum Magical abilities & medicinal benefit X cultures: plants “souls” • Aristotle: Plant “Psyche” • Suggestive of an innate plant intelligence? • (in Western Culture, belief of plant spirits survived until first half of the 20 th century – Elder & Cocoa)

Innate Plant Intelligence CLIVE BAXTER

Shamanistic Medicine Traditional cultures: world created by good & evil spirits. Illness: from malignant forces or possession of evil spirits (dissatisfaction of spirits)

Shamanistic Medicine Shamans would enter the spirit realm and intercede on the patient’s behalf, using hallucinogenic herbs. Also provide medical Rx for the physical needs (teas, decoctions, ointments, lotions, steams, baths, etc)

Development of Medicinal Lore Up until the 20 th century, every village & rural community had a profound understanding of medicinal medicine (herbal folklore) Tried & tested local plants: teas, lotions, ointments, decoctions, poultices, baths, steams, etc.

Origins of ancient herbal expertise Trial & error (thousands of years of observation) Observing animal habits

500 BC: Medicine Breaks From Mystical Origins “Developed” cultures, medicine & magic (spiritual world) separate. Hippocrates: illness = natural; ≠unnatural process Medicine should be given without ceremonies Earliest Chinese Medicinal Text Yellow Emperor’s Classic of Internal Medicine 1 BC: “In Rx illness, it is necessary to examine the entire context…If one insists on the presence of ghosts & spirits, one cannot speak of therapeutics. ”

300 BC-600 AD: Foundation of Major Herbal Traditions • Trade between Europe, Middle East & Asia • Diverse use & spreading of medicinal herb use & knowledge • E. g. Eugenia caryophyllata • Dioscorides (1 st century Greek physician) wrote the 1 st European Herbal, De Materia Medica. • Galen, Roman physician, equally profound influence: drew inspiration from Hippocrates “ 4 humours theory”. • TCM, Eurpean & Indian medicinal systems all consider illness to be an imbalance within the elements of the body & aim to restore balance, often using herbs.

Folk Healing in the Middle Ages Traditional healers (TCM, AM, UT, TAM etc): process of apprenticeship, practice treating illness, attending childbirth, using locally grown herbs high practical medical knowledge. Underestimated: E. g. Khoi-san using Carpobrotus spp to strengthen new born babies

Islamic & Indian Medicine 500 – 1500 European Dark Ages = Golden Age of Islam With the decline of Roman Empire, Western scholastic medicine knowledge diminished. Through the flourishing of Islam in AD 500 -1300, Classical Greek & Roman knowledge was preserved & elaborated (UT). Arabs: Expert Pharmacists (Alchemy) Contact with West (Europe) & East (China & India), wide range of medicinal & herbal knowldege Avicenna (Ibn Sina): Canon of Medicine & Distillation

Central & South American Cures Similtaneously, Maya, Aztec & Inca civilizations: herbal traditions with profound understanding of local medicinal plants E. g. Used to grow mould (penicillin) on banana skins In traditional Cultures: medicine & religion more interwoven than European cultures. e. g. Skin disease suffers.

1000 AD-1400 AD: Rebirth of European Scholarship European scholars slowly started studing Arab and the sciences they had to offer (Astrology, Medicine, Pharmacy, Mathematics & Chemistry)

Re-birth of European Knowledge Mosques: Used as universities (Muslim, Christian, Jewish scholars), including the training of Females as physicians. Trotula: woman who wrote the first book on obstetrics.

Asian Unification 14 th century: unification of whole of Asia (from Yellow Sea[China]-Black Sea [Eastern Europe]). Mongol rulers (of Asia): strict banning the use of X herbs such as Aconite (used as an arrow poison). Other parts of Asia: Vietnam & Japan, Chinese culture & medicine dominated the 1º influence. Even Kampoh, traditional herbal medicine of Japan (distinctive to Japan), has its roots from TCM.

Trade between continents 1400 -1700 Middle Ages: Trade routes start exapanding new exotic herbs to Europe. E. g. Zingiber officinalis (Zanzibar) Elletaria cardamomum (Egypt, Indonesia, India & Sri Lanka) Myristica fragrans Curcuma longa (India & Indonesia) Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Indonesia, Philippines, India, West Indies, Japan) Cassia senna (Arab peninsulas) Salvia officinalis (European Yin tonic)

Health & Hygiene 1400 1700 Huge influx of exotic medicinal plants & opportunity to observe medical practices of the Arabs, Chinese, Japanese & Indians still: most unhealthy conditions world has ever seen Spread of diseases. Spread: Global: Native Americans & Indians Europe: open sewers, overcrowding & ignorance Plague

European Epidemics Plague: no cure (herbal/mineral) 50% of population perished Spread of Europe to Asia (1994). Syphilis: spread by seafarers From Caribbean by Columbus’ crew in 1490’s, spreading throughout Europe & Rest of the World (Asia)

Plague Cures Europe: Blindly practised medicine based on Galen’s humoral principles (Indian & Chinese Medicine evolved from traditional texts). European physicians were just as likely to kill patients with bloodletting & toxic minerals in attempts to balance the humous as they were to cure. Mineral cures became more fashionable E. g. mercury cures Led to the growth of chemical formulations scientific/allopathic medicine’s break from herbal medicines

Plague Doctor’s Mask

The influence of Paracelsus (1493 -1541) – rejects Galen’s 4 humour theory in favour of detailed observation First to pay great attention to dosage: “It depends only on the dose whether a poison is a poison or not. ” Influential force in the future development of chemistry, conventional medicine, herbal medicine & homeopathy.

Father of Chemistry Also explored Alchemy, the transmutation of base materials into gold & the search for immortal life. Revived interest in the Doctrine of Signatures – ancient theory: plant’s appearance indicates the illnesses it would Rx.

Culpepper & Printed Herbals Wounded in the English Civil War, focused on the needs of ordinary people who could not afford a doctor or imported herbs. Influenced by Dioscorides, Arab physicians & Paracelsus developed a medical system blending astrology & personal knowledge. The English Physitian

The New Rationalism New emphasis on chemical cures + dismissal of “vital force” concept. William Harvey: 1628 published his studies on how the heart circulated blood throughout the body (contrary to Galenic thought). Medical science revolution: Biochemical knowledge of physiology & disease processes Contrary: very little success in developing successful cures for medical ailments compared to earlier scholars.

The gap in The Scientific Approach Generally, traditional medicine has been scientifically lacking, yet it has always been ahead of medical science in the way it has been applied therapeutically. e. g. Vogel (European physician) noting “ignorant” people medical therapeutics (Echinacea)

Isolating Chemicals 1741 – 1799: Dr William Withering Foxglove Dropsy 1785: Account of the Foxglove: case histories of the powerful (& potentially dangerous) effects of foxglove

Laboratory Vs Nature Early 19 th century, lab started to replace Nature as the source of medicines. 1803: narcotic alkaloids isolated from opium poppy (Papaver somniferum) 1838: Salicylic acid (forerunner to aspirin) isolated from white willow bark (Salix alba) From here on, herbal medicine & biomedicine are to follow separate paths.

New Frontiers New Herbal Medicine Europeans (colonialists) settled on foreign soils (America, India, Africa), away from their chemical cures E. g. European settlers learning about Agothosma betulina from Native Khoi-San people. Results: New herbs being added to European pharmacopoeias.

Samuel Thomson Unorthodox herbal practitioner Believed that illness resulted from cold (contrary to now conventional thinking) Worked well for European settlers on the frontiers. First form of Naturopathy

Herbalism Outlawed 1850 - 1900 Europe: conventional medicine seeks to establish monopoly 1858: British Parliament banns the practice of medicine by anyone who has not been trained in a conventional medical school. Enforced in France, Spain, Italy & USA

20 th CENTURY & BEYOND Science & Medicine Louis Pasteur – germ theory Rediscovery of penicillin – A. Flemming Ascendancy of Biomedicine: Americans & Europeans accustomed to “quick-fix”. Herbal medicine becomes almost extinct in Europe and US – outlawed (fined/imprisoned) The tide turns: 1962: Thalidomide (drug taken by pregnant mothers to Rx morning sickness) 3000 deformed babies (Germany). Turning point in public’s opinion of chemical medicines (cost to accompany the benefit).

Bare-foot Doctors 1960’s: China’s Barefoot Dr’s – blending herbal medicine, acupuncture & western practices Becomes the model for WHO (created a strategy for including traditional herbal medicines in developing the planning & practices of medicine in developing countries).

Changing Attitudes Most important factor behind the growing interest in complementary medicines is the poor state of health in Western “developed/modern” societies. While infectious diseases are controlled, chronic diseases are increasing. Despite huge amounts spent on health care, populations remain unhealthy. (quick-fix method short-comings).

Herbalism & Holism Medical herbalists: Germ theory only fraction of the picture Many infectious diseases are not automatically spread from host-host. Herbalism: treat the weakness allowing for the germ to prosper rather than eradicating the germ.

Herbal Synergy Herbal Synergy: The effect of herbs are larger than their sum. i. e. The effects are due to the energetic combination of herbs, not just the action of isolated constituents.

Takeaway Intelligence is a concept that is increasingly being associated with life in general, and no longer limited to humans.