Herbal medicine involves the use of whole plants to promote health and treat disease, drawing on a tradition of human use for over 60,000 years. It views disease more broadly by addressing underlying causes and individual expression rather than just symptoms. Herbal medicines are prescribed to restore homeostasis and promote optimal cellular nutrition and elimination. Around 1 in 5 people in the UK regularly use herbal medicine, and it is regulated through organizations like the National Institute of Medical Herbalists. Herbal medicines are prescribed individually based on a comprehensive medical history and clinical examination.

1. HERBAL MEDICINES
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2. WHAT IS HERBAL MEDICINE?
• Use of whole plants in the promotion of health and the
treatment of disease.
• Primary medicine of over 80% of the world's population
• Evidence of human use for more than 60 000
years e.g. pollens from yarrow, marshmallow and
ephedra found at the burial site of a Neanderthal man in
Iraq
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3. HERBAL APPROACH
• Broader view of disease looking at the underlying causes
and individual expression of disease not just the
presenting symptoms
• Prescription to restore homeostasis
• Promotion of optimal cellular nutrition and elimination
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4. HERBAL MEDICINE IN THE UK
• 1 in 5 regularly use CAM - Herb no 1
• European market 2001 3.2 billion Euros
• Registered herbalists: ~ 650 Western, 550 Chinese, 150
Ayurvedic & 56 other
• Unregistered ~ Approximately 1000
• 6 BSc NIMH accredited courses
• EHPA - Statutory Self Regulation
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5. IS HERBAL MEDICINE THE SAME AS
HOMEOPATHY?
• No!
• Longer tradition - 60 000 years of use
• Different philosophy & approach
• Only plant based medicines
• Medicinal plants used in material doses not in
homeopathic potency
• Potential for herb-drug interactions
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6. THE HERBAL CONSULTATION
• Client details including GP
• Comprehensive medical history
• Clinical examination & assessment
• Diagnosis & prognosis
• Discussion & advice
• Individualised prescription & dispensing
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7. WHY USE MEDICINAL PLANTS?
• Whole plant medicines usually have a more gentle and
balanced effect
• Synergy within a plant & between plants
• Low cost
• Promote homeostatic mechanisms not suppress the
body’s efforts heal
• Safe and effective treatment option when
pharmaceuticals inappropriate
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8. SCOPE OF HERBAL MEDICINE
• Nutrition: food & nutrients e.g.
Coriander, Garlic, Nettle & Oats
• Maintenance of Health: systems e.g.Dandelion,
Garlic & Slippery Elm
• Treatment of Disease: acute & chronic e.g.
self-medication, over-the-counter-products, medical
herbalist & other practitioners
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9. HERBAL MEDICINES
• Herbal medicines prescribed according to the needs of
the individual patient
• Traceable products from unpolluted and sustainable
sources
• Versatility of herbal preparations e.g. fresh,
juice, tisane, tincture, syrup, aromatic water, powder,
capsule, tablet, pessary, lotion, cream, ointment & oil
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10. SOURCES OF HERBAL MEDICINES
• Cultivated and wild plants where appropriate
• A Medical Herbalist
• Herbal shop or other retail outlet e.g. Napiers 0131 553 7999
www.napierstheherbalists.com
• Avicenna 01570 471 000 avicenna@clara.co.uk
• Herbal Apothecary 0116 2602690 www.herbalapothecary.net
• The Organic Herb Trading Co. 01823 401205
www.organicherbtrading.com
• Phyto Products 01623 644334 www.phyto.co.uk
• Rutland Biodynamics Tel 01572 757440 www.rutlandbio.com
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11. SAFETY
• Few reports of adverse events following the use of
medicinal plants
• Plant misidentification, substitution, adulteration and
herb-drug interactions
• Improving quality control and labelling
• NIMH suspected adverse event reporting scheme
• Awareness of herb-drug interactions
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12. RESEARCH
• In vitro analysis with chromatography
• RCT’s Serenoa repens, Carduus marianus, Echinacea
spp., Ginkgo biloba, Cimicifuga racemosa, Hypericum
perforatum &Valeriana officinalis
• NIMH - herbal practice & clinical audit
• Laminitis Trust - Vitex agnus castus
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13. FURTHER READING
• Bartram T Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine Grace Publishers 1995
• Bone K Clinical Applications of Ayurvedic and Chinese Herbs
Phytotherapy Press1996
• Bradley P R British Herbal Compendium Vol. 1 British Herbal Medicine
Association 1992
• British Herbal Medicine Association British Herbal Pharmacopoeia 1983
BHMA 1983
• British Herbal Medicine Association British Herbal Pharmacopoeia 1990
Volume 1 BHMA 1990
• Chevalier A The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley
1996
• Evans W Trease and Evans’s Pharmacognosy W.B.Saunders Ltd 1996
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14. FURTHER READING CONTINUED
• Grieve M A Modern Herbal Jonathon Cape Ltd. 1931
• Griggs B Green Pharmacy Jill Norman and Hobhouse Ltd. 1981
• Hoffman D The New Holistic Herbal Element Books Ltd. 1990
• Mills S & Bone K Principles and Practice of Phytotherapy Churchill
Livingstone 2000
• Newall CA, Anderson LA & Phillipson J D Herbal Medicines - A Guide for
Healthcare Professionals The Pharmaceutical Press 1996
• Ody P The Herb Society’s Complete Medicinal Herbal Dorling Kindersley
1993
• Weiss R Herbal Medicine Beaconsfield Publishers Ltd 1988
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15. USEFUL WEBSITES
• www.ejhm.co.uk European Journal of Herbal
Medicine
• www.euroherb.com European Herbal Practitioners
Association
• www.ex.ac.uk/phytonet/phytojournal European
Scientific Co-operative on Phytotherapy - Clinical
Trials in Phytotherapy: From Concept to Publication
• www.nimh.org.uk National Institute of Medical
Herbalists
• www.trusthomeopathy.org Faculty of Homeopathy
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