Knowra Herbal medicine Herbal medicine Herbal medicine uses whole plants or plant preparations to prevent or treat illness. Practices range from traditional healing systems to regulated herbal products.
Phytochemistry : The study of chemical compounds produced by plants. It identifies the compounds that may produce an herb’s effects or toxicity.
St. John's wort : A flowering plant whose extracts are used for depression and can interact with many medicines. Its use for depressive symptoms is supported by some clinical evidence, but its interactions are extensive.
Traditional Chinese medicine : A diverse medical tradition developed in China, involving herbal formulas, acupuncture, and other practices. Its formulas combine multiple herbs according to diagnostic frameworks distinct from modern biomedicine.
Phytotherapy : The use of plant-derived medicines, often emphasizing preparations supported by pharmacological or clinical evidence. The term commonly signals a more explicitly evidence-oriented approach than broader traditional herbal practice.
Pharmacognosy : The study of medicines derived from natural sources, including their identification, chemistry, and biological effects. It links plant identification and preparation to the properties of herbal medicines.
Ginger : The rhizome of Zingiber officinale, used as a spice and in preparations for nausea and other symptoms. Clinical studies have examined ginger for nausea, especially during pregnancy and after surgery.
Ayurveda : A South Asian medical tradition that uses diet, lifestyle, and plant-based preparations to promote health. Herbal preparations are central to many Ayurvedic treatments.
Traditional medicine : Health knowledge and practices developed within cultural traditions and transmitted across generations. Herbal medicine is one part of many traditional systems, but the two are not identical.
Pharmacokinetics : The study of how substances are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and eliminated by the body. It explains why an herb’s effects depend on absorption and metabolism.
Echinacea : A group of North American flowering plants whose preparations are commonly used for colds. Evidence for preventing or shortening colds varies across species and preparations.
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