Herbal medicine refers to using plants for medicinal purposes and has a long tradition outside of conventional medicine. Plants have been used medicinally for thousands of years by early Chinese, Egyptians, and other ancient cultures. While chemical analysis and modified plant extracts became popular in the 19th century, herbal medicine use has increased in recent decades due to a public interest in natural remedies and the high cost of prescription drugs. Approximately 25% of modern drugs are still derived from or mimic natural plant compounds, and herbal medicine continues to be widely used globally for primary healthcare.

3. 
 Herbal medicine -- also called botanical medicine or
phytomedicine -- refers to using a plant's
 seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark, or flowers for
medicinal purposes. Herbalism has a long
 tradition of use outside of conventional medicine. It
is becoming more main stream as
 improvements in analysis and quality control along
with advances in clinical research show
 the value of herbal medicine in treating and
preventing disease.
Herbal Medicine

4. 
 Plants had been used for medicinal purposes long before recorded history. Ancient Chinese
 and Egyptian papyrus writings describe medicinal uses for plants.
 In the early 19th century, when chemical analysis first became available, scientists began to
 extract and modify the active ingredients from plants. Later, chemists began making their
 own version of plant compounds, and over time, the use of herbal medicines declined in
favor
 of drugs. The word drug comes from the old Dutch word drogge meaning 'to dry', as
 pharmacists, physicians and ancient healers often dried plants to use as medicines. Today
 approximately 25 per cent of all prescription drugs are still derived from trees, shrubs, or
 herbs. Some are made from plant extracts; others are synthesized to mimic a natural plant
 compound. The World Health Organization notes that of 119 plant-derived pharmaceutical
 medicines, about 74 percent are used in modern medicine in ways that correlated directly
 with their traditional uses as plant medicines by native cultures
Herbal Medicine

5. 
 According to WHO 2002, about 80% of world
population is still dependent on herbal
 remedies to treat illness. In Germany, about 600 - 700
plant-based medicines are available
 and are prescribed by some 70% of German
physicians. In the last 20 years in the United States,
public dissatisfaction with the cost of prescription
medications, combined with an interest in returning
to natural or organic remedies, has led to an increase
in herbal medicine use.
Herbal Medicine

6.  Over the world there are wide utilization trends of herbs for primary health care, both
through
 traditional means and through industrially prepared pharmaceutical products. It is a
common
 concept especially in developing countries that herbal-based industrialization is not
profitable
 but now literature shows that there are increasing opportunities for agro-based
 industrialization and especially of herbal-based industrialization as there is an increasing
 demand of herbs in developed countries for pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.
 Himalayan region areas of Pakistan are enriching in natural herbal resources, but they are
not
 properly utilized and commercialize, even they have strong potential for these purposes.
 Herbal utilization not only contributes to socio-economic development but also contribute
to
 environmental development For the proper utilization of herbs the requirement is, have
only
 to determine and elaborating their uses and markets through industrialization and
 institutionalization.
Herbal medicine

7.  Herbs have been used in all cultures throughout history. Extensive scientific
documentation
 now exists concerning their use for health conditions, including premenstrual syndrome,
 indigestion, insomnia, heart disease, cancer and HIV.
 Yet, for the most part, modern medicine has veered from the use of pure herbs in its
treatment
 of disease and other health disorders. One of the reasons for this is economic. Herbs, by
their
 very nature, cannot be patented. Since herbs cannot be patented and drug companies
cannot
 hold the exclusive right to sell a particular herb, they are not motivated to invest any
money
 in that herb's testing or promotion. The collection and preparation of herbal medicine
cannot
 be as easily controlled as the manufacture of synthetic drugs, making its profits less
 dependable. Yet, the current viewpoint seems to be changing. "The revival of interest in
 herbal medicine is a worldwide phenomenon," says Mark Blumenthal, Executive Director
of
 the American Botanical Council.
Herbal Medicine

8. 