Advantage And Disadvantage Of Herbal Medicine

Herbal medicines are those with active ingredients made from plant parts, such as leaves, roots or flowers. But being "natural" doesn't necessarily mean they're safe for you to take.

Herbal medicine

Definition Of Herbal Medicine

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines herbal medicine as a practice which includes herbs, herbal materials, herbal preparations and finished herbal products, that contain as active ingredients parts of plants, or other plant materials, or combinations. These herbs are derived from plant parts such as leaves, stems, flowers, roots, and seeds.

Read Also: Guidelines on registration of herbal medicine in Nigeria

Definition Of Herbal Drug

Herbal drugs contain active ingredients, plant parts or plant materials in the processed or crude state with certain excipients, i.e., dilutions, solvents or preservatives. These active ingredients protect plants from damage and diseases and contribute to the plants aroma, flavor and color.

Scientifically, they are known as phytochemicals which include several classes such as saponins, flavonoids, glycosides, tannins, alkaloids and terpenoids.

Definition Of Traditional Medicine

According to the World Health Organization (WHO, 2003), traditional medicine is defined as diverse health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant animal and/or mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises applied singularly or in combination to maintain well-being as well as to treat, diagnose or prevent illness.

Many modern drugs were originally extracted from plant sources, even if they’re now made synthetically. Whereas conventional medicine now tries to use only the active ingredient of a plant, herbal remedies use the whole plant. Herbalists argue that the mixture of chemicals in the whole plant work together to give a better effect (called synergy) than a single active ingredient.

Just like conventional medicines, herbal medicines will have an effect on the body, and can be potentially harmful if not used correctly. They should therefore be used with the same care and respect as conventional medicines.

Herbal medicine can be gotten from a herbalist with prescription on how to mix and use them. However, some have been standardised to some reasonable extent and packaged for sale in pharmacies and patent shops as capsules, tablets or even liquid.

Read Also: Limitations of herbal medicine today

Advantage Of Herbal Medicine

1. Cheap

2. Easily accessible

3. Acceptable by most persons

4. Self administered

4. Can be use as a starting material for drug discovery

Disadvantage Of Herbal Medicine

1. They are not standardize hence may be dangerous to certain people

2. Slow onset of action or effect

3. May interact with pharmaceutical drug

4. May proclaimers don't have specific dosage