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The problem with this approach is however, that medicinal plants like Comfrey, Dandelion and other herbs usually contain hundreds if not thousands of chemical compounds that interact, yet many of which are not yet understood and cannot be manufactured. This is why
manufactured drugs, based on so-called active ingredients, often do not work or produce side effects.
Aspirin is a classic case in point. Salicylic acid is active ingredient in Aspirin tablets, and was first isolated from bark of White Willow tree. It is a relatively simple compound to make synthetically, however, Aspirin is known for its ability to cause stomach irritation and in some cases ulceration of stomach wall.
The herbal extract from bark of White Willow tree generally does not cause stomach irritation due to other, so called ‘non-active ingredients’ contained in bark, which function to protect lining of stomach thereby preventing ulceration of stomach wall.
Ask yourself, which would I choose – Side effects, or no site effects? – It’s a very simple answer. Isn’t it?
So why then are herbal medicines not used more commonly and why do we have pharmaceutical impostors stuffed down our throats? The answer is, that there’s little or no money in herbs for pharmaceutical companies. They, herbs, have already been invented, they grow easily, they multiply readily and for most part, they’re freely available.
Further more, correctly prescribed and formulated herbal compounds generally resolve health problem of patient over a period of time, leaving no requirement to keep taking preparation – that means no repeat sales… no ongoing prescriptions… no ongoing problem.
Pharmaceuticals on other hand primarily aim to relieve symptoms – that means: ongoing consultations, ongoing sales, ongoing health problems – which do you think is a more profitable proposition…?
Don’t get me wrong, this is not to say that all drugs are impostors or that none of pharmaceutical drugs cure diseases or maladies – they do and some are life-preserving preparations and are without doubt invaluable. However, herbal extracts can be similarly effective, but are not promoted and are highly under-utilized.
The daily news is full of ‘discoveries’ of herbs found to be a possible cure of this or that, as in example of Dandelion and its possible anti-cancer properties. The point is, that these herbs need to be investigated in correct way. They are not just ‘an active ingredient’. They mostly have hundreds of ingredients and taking one or two in isolation is not what makes medicinal plants work. In addition, rarely are herbal extracts prescribed by herbalists as singles (a preparation which utilizes only one herb). Usually herbalists mix a variety of medicinal plants to make a mixture, which addresses more than just major symptoms.
In Chinese medicine for example there is a strict order of hierarchy in any herbal prescription, which requires considerable depth of knowledge and experience on physicians part. The fact that primary or principle herb has active ingredients, which has a specific physiological effect, does not mean other herbs are not necessary in preparation. This is a fact seemingly ignored by pharmaceutical industry in its need to manufacture new drugs that can control disease.
Knowing that medicinal plants are so effective, that these plants potentially hold key to many diseases, are inexpensive and have proven their worth time and time again over millennia, why is it that herbal medicine is still not in forefront of medical treatments, and is considered by many orthodox medical professionals and pharmaceutical companies as hocus-pocus…. hmmm.
Danny Siegenthaler is a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and together with his wife Susan, a medical herbalist and aromatherapist, they have created Natural Skin Care Products by Wildcrafted Herbal Products to share their 40 years of combined expertise with you.
