Introduction:
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 80% of the world’s population uses herbal medicines. The WHO defines herbal medicine as medicines include herbs, herbal materials, herbal preparations and finished herbal products that contain as active ingredients parts of plants, or other plant materials, or combinations. Traditional use of herbal medicine refers to the long historical use of these medicines. Their use is well established and widely acknowledged to be safe and effective, and many have been accepted by national authorities.
The popularity of herbal medicines has wavered little over time with some herbal medicines growing even further in popularity and use. In some African and Asian countries over 80% of the population rely on traditional herbal medicines as their primary healthcare and some German doctors have started prescribing herbal medicines in certain circumstances. Traditional herbal medicine revenues are continually growing each year which shows their ongoing popularity.
Traditional herbal medicines should be taken only as prescribed by the dosage and as with all medicines, it is important to get professional medical advice before consuming any. Knowledge of, effectiveness, quality, dosage, safety are all factors to give serious consideration to before using any traditional herbal medicine (the same way you would consider what prescribed medicine you would take!) It is essential to follow recommended guidelines and dosages when taking herbal medicines and to always consult a medical professional.