Herbal Medicine

What is Herbal Medicine?

l  Herbalism or herbal medicine is the use of plants to create the medicines & remedies for health problems & to enhance well being.

l   Its main purpose is to stimulate the body’s own natural power of healing by re-balancing & cleansing.

l  Many herbs share the properties of the synthetic drugs of orthodox medicine but unlike synthetic drugs they are able to restore health without unwanted side effects & without damaging the natural equilibrium of the body.

As well as being effected, they are also inexpensive and easy to use

What is a herb?

• For the purposes to maintain health, a herb is any plant used in medicines. Any thing of vegetative nature, that is used to make a remedy, may be called a herb.

SOME COMMON MEDICINAL PLANTS & THEIR MEDICINAL USES 

Achillea millefolium

Common Names: Yarrow. Biranjasif

Medicinal Uses: Gynaecological problems i-e amenorrhea, Menorrhagia & Leucorrhea. GIT problems i-e Dyspepsia, Flatulence, Diarrhea & Haemorrhoids.

Pharmacopeal Preparation: Arq Biranjasif, Arq Gaz, Arq Maul Lahm Mako Kasniwala.

Matricaria chamomilla

Common Names: Babuna, chamomila

Medicinal Uses: Epilepsy, Colic, Stomach debility, Jaundice, Rheumatism, Eczema etc.

Pharmacopeal Preparation: Roghan Babuna, Majun Falasfa, Dawa-i-Aabzan

Artemisia absinthium

Common Names: Afsantin, Absinthium

Medicinal Uses: Dyspepsia, Hysteria, Spasm, Depression, Fever, Intestinal Worms, Spleenomegally.

Pharmacopeal Preparation: Hab Afsantin, Itrifal Deedan, Roghan Afsantin, Roghan Kalan

Cassia fistula

Common Names: Amaltas, Purging Cassia

Medicinal Uses: Chest Congestion, Inflammation, Gout & Rheumatism, Ringworm, Constipation.

Pharmacopeal Preparation: Laooq Khiyar Shanber, Zimad Sumbul ut-Teeb.

Berberies aristata

Common Names: Rasaut, Zarishk, Darhald, Berberry

Medicinal Uses: Opthalmia & Stomach disorders, Bilious & Remittent fevers, Hepatospleenomegaly, bleeding piles & Anemia.

Pharmacopeal Preparation: Hab Rassaut, Dawaul Misk, Jawarish Amla LuluiHab Musaffi Khuun, Safuf Habis.

Solanum nigrum

Common Names: Mako, Black Night Shade.

Medicinal Uses: Inflammation of Liver & Abdominal Viscera, Skin Diseases, Gouty Joints, Cirrhosis of Liver, Cough, Tonsillitis.

Pharmacopeal Preparation: Zimad Kabad, Zimad Mohalil, Arq Maul Lahm Mako Kasni Wala, Dawaai Abzan.

Onosma bracteatum

Common Names: GaoZaban, Borage.

Medicinal Uses: Bronchitis & Asthma, Palpitation, Gonorrhea & Syphilis, Leprosy, Renal Disease.

Pharmacopeal Preparation: Khameera Gaozaban, Khameera Abresham Sada, Dawaul Misk Motadil, Jawarish Ood Shirin, Sharbat Abresham, Ruh-e-Gaozaban.

Ricinus communis

Common Names: Arand, Castor.

Medicinal Uses: Expectorant & Laxative, Sedative, Constipation, Paralysis, Asthma, Muscular Spasm, Intestinal Woms.

Pharmacopeal Preparation: Itrifal Zamani, Roghan Arand, Marham Dakhilyun, Majun Suranjan, Roghan Kalan.

Adiantum capillus veneris

Common Names: Pershiaoashan, Maiden Hair Fern.

Medicinal Uses: Pleurisy, Acute Pneumonia, Influenza, Bronchitis and Asthma, Stomatitis.

Pharmacopeal Preparation: Laooq Lapistan, Sherbat Ustukhudus, Sharbat Mushil, Sharbat Mudir Tams, Matbookh Bukhar.

Vitex nigundo

Common Names: Sanbhalo, Chaste Plant.

Medicinal Uses: Vermifuge and Opthalmic Remedy, Toothache, Skin infections, Expectorant, Diarrhea, Liver inflammations, Cardiac tonic, Flatulence.

Pharmacopeal Preparation: Safuf Asal as-Sus, Majun Jograj Gugal, Majun Mughaliz, Roghan Haft Barg,, Safuf Panjkasht

MARKETING OF MEDICINAL PLANTS: RECENT TRENDS

• According to WHO, the international market of herbal products is estimated to be US $ 62 billions which is poised to grow to US $ 5 trillions by the year 2050.
• WHO has compiled a list of 2,000 medicinal plants used in various parts of the world but over 100 species have a consistently large demand in world trade of medicinal plants.

• Pakistan has a wealth of 5,783 plant species. Eastern system of medicine describes uses of more than 1,100 species of medicinal plants.

• In active trade, there are 456 medicinal plants, which are used to manufacture around 350 classical formulations to treat various ailments.

COMMERCIAL CULTIVATION OF MEDICINAL PLANTS

• Commercial cultivation of medicinal plants permits production of uniform quality raw material whose properties are standardized and from which the crude drugs can be obtained unadulterated.

MAJOR CONSTRAINTS

• The systemic cultivation of medicinal plants is quite necessary to meet out the emerging demands of medicinal plants, but the pace of development is very slow due to following constraints.

1. There is lack of institutions producing competent herbal medicine (Eastern Medicine) physicians which have scientific knowledge of using medicinal plants.
2. There is lack of awareness among the farmers regarding commercial cultivation of medicinal plants.
3. 3.  Lack of high yielding varieties & good quality planting material.

4.      4.  Marketing of medicinal plants is inefficient, imperfect, informal & opportunistic

5.      There is fluctuation on the rate of medicinal plants.

6.      Lack of product diversification.

7.      Good manufacturing practices are not adopted by the industry and hence raw material quality is not the prime concern compare to market rate.

8.      Lack of coordination amongst various stake holders such as state government of Pakistan (Ministry of Agriculture & Livestock, Environment & Forestry, National Council for Tibb, Science & Technology etc), Private traditional medicine sector, research institute, NGOs, international network etc.

FUTURE STRATEGY TO BE ADOPTED FOR DEVELOPMENT

§  The emphasis should be given on the following aspects for boosting up the production of medicinal plants in Pakistan.

1.      To produce competent herbal medicine (Eastern Medicine) physician in the market by establishing eastern medicine departments in different institutions & universities.

Quality planting material

a)      Conservation of plants through herbal gardens.

b)      Establishment/maintenance of nursery centers.

3.      Area expansion

a)      Establishment of demonstration-cum-seed production centers at farmers fields.

b)      Providing financial assistance in critical imputes like planting/sowing materials, fertilizers & plant protection chemicals etc.

c)      Cultivation should be encouraged for short duration medicinal plants under farmers levels & cultivation of trees & long duration plants in degraded forest, public lands etc.

d)     Technology development & application

e)      Upgrading technical know-how.

f)       Establishment of analytical laboratory.

g)      Committee on demand & supply.

h)      Standards & quality controls.

i)        Minimum support price.

j)        Contractual forming

k)      Value addition for herbal products e.g. 1 ton of turmeric sales for Rs. 35,000. if it is converted to curcumin the value realized is Rs. 1,25,000 for 60 kgs of value added dye.