Alternative Medicine

The Herbal Treatment of Diseases

The Author

Khushbu Shrivastava Gupta

Editor, MedicPresents

Master of Technology
(M.Tech.), Biotechnology - Vellore
Institute of Technology (VIT)
The Herbal Treatment of Diseases
Objectives
• Phytotherapy (Herbal
medicine), the natural
therapies, by contrast, aims
not to ‘cure’ disease by a
technological fix.
• The nature in totality, is the
expression of a universal
harmony and equilibrium
the rupture of which gives
rise to numerous ill effects.
 Medicinal Herbs
The Whole better than part.
• Powerful ingredients.
• Only 15% of estimated plant
species on earth have been
investigated for possible
Medicinal uses.
• The world Health organization
estimates that 80% of the
earth population today
depends on plants to treat
common ailments.
• Traditional Healers are good
resources for scientific based
research. 4
POISONOUS PLANT AND
SAFE MEDICINE
*Straightforward definition
of a “poisonous plant”.
*The major poisonous
principles found among
plants are organic
compound.
*Herbal medicines are to
be prescribed with
greatest care.
Wellness
• Self healing.
• The Human body is the
greatest machine in the
earth.
• The body is two thirds-
water.
• The Micronutrients:
Vitamins and
Minerals.
Phytochemicals
• No magic, diets high in fruits,
grains, legumes reduce the
risk of a number of diseases,
including cancer, diabetes,
high blood pressure.
• Phytochemicals are the
biologically active substances
in plants that are responsible
for giving them color, flavor
and natural disease resistance.
 Philosophy-The Germ theory of
Disease
• Antoni van Leuwenhoek was first to see bacteria.
• Louis Pasteur was the founder of the Germ Theory of
Disease.
• Micro organism enter the body in number of ways.
• Specific diseases are caused by specific micro-
organism.
• Natural immunity is an inherited resistance to infection.
 Philosophy- Germ Theory…….

• Preventive measures were aimed at the destruction

of pathogenic bacteria.
• Therapeutic measures suggested by the Germ
Theory included asepsis, antisepsis and disinfection.
• Further measures put into effect are avoidance of
sources of infection.
• More scientific basis “Robert Koch postulates”.
How would you advise?
• More than 95 % of the
population in the least
developing countries use
herbs for health and other
purposes.
• More than one third of
Americans and Europeans use
herbs for health purposes,
spending over 7.0 billion
annually.
• More than 25 % of modern
pharmaceutical drugs have
botanical origins.
WHAT – IF?
What if a patient who has the
human immunodeficiency virus
has an increasing viral load and
ask your advise about a
medicinal herb for his case?
*What if you don’t have access to
Amanatadine for prevention and
treatment of Influenza A?
What if you are located in an area
where medicinal herbs are used
intensively by public?
MATERIA MEDICA<1>
• Viruses are difficult to
inactivate chemically and
usually require highly toxic
agents to do so.
• Once a cell is infected it is
difficult selectively to inhibit
the virus without harming the
cell.
• * Medicinal herbs contribute to
the fight against viral infections
through enhancement of
immunity.
Herbal Materia Medica <2>

Thymus Vulgaris and

T. Serpyllum L.
• Constituents:
• Volatile oil- incl.
Thymol;
• Tannins- up to 10%;
• Bitter principle;
• Saponins.
Materia Medica <3>

Allium Sativum L. (Garlic)

• Constituents:
• Volatile oil – containing
Alliin;
*Hormone –type substances;
• Glucokinin;
• Mucilage;
• Germanium.
 Herbal Materia Medica <4>
ST JOHN’S WORT
• Constituents:
*Red pigment, Resin, Volatile oil
Carotenes,Taninnin, Flavanoide(inc.hypericin).
• Common use : Antidepressant.
• Investigational uses:Anticancer , antiviral (including
human immunodeficiency virus).
• Side effects : photosensitivity (rare,with large dose.
• It is named after St John’s the Baptist because it
blooms around his feast day.
Materia Medica <5
VERVAIN
Constituents:
*Glycosides
(verbenalin);
*Bitter principle ;
* Volatile oil ;
*Taninn .
* Good prophylaxes for
Asthma and migraine.
Herbal Materia Medica <6>
JUNIPER BERRIES
Juniperus communis
*Constituents:
• Volatile oil –up to 2 %
of the pulp;
• Flavanoide;
• Tannins ;
• Bitter principle ;
• Sugars- up to 30%.
Herbal Materia Medica <7>
Astragalus membranaceus
• The antiviral action of
Astragalus is most
likely due to increased
immunity and
interferon production.
• Further researches are
encouraged by the
students and the
medical professionals.
Herbal Materia Medica <8>
Eleutherococcus Senticosus.
• Positive effect of
Eleutherococcus
Senticosus in very early
stages of HIV infection
by preventing or retarding
spread of the virus.
• Further researches are
encouraged by
professionals on the
effect of Eleutherococcus
on the immune system.
Herbal Materia Medica <9>
Marigold(Calendula)
Calendula officinalis L
**Constituents:
• Saponins
• Carotenoids
• Bitter principle
• Essential oil
• Sterols
• Flavonoids,
• Mucilage
• Resin
Herbal Materia Medica<10>
HOPS(Humulus Lupus L.)
Humulus Lupus L.
*Constituents:
• Volatile oil;
• Bitter resin complex –
includes valerianic acid, cf.
valerian;
• Tannins – condensed;
• Oestrogenic substances;
• Resins;
• Choline;
• Aspragine.
Materia Medica -Antiviral
Effects of Herbs
Lomatium dissectum
Constituents:
• Flavonoids;
• Coumarins;
• Tetronic acids.
• Root of L.dissectum may
be valuable for the
treatment of the Chronic
fatigue syndrome, for
which there is no accepted
orthodox treatment.
Anti viral Effects and
Phyllanthus Amarus
Phyllanthus Amarus.
*Constituents:
• Lignans such as:
Phyllanthin and
hypophyllanthin;
• Flavonoids;
• Alkaloids.
• Leaves of Phyllanthus are
an important remedy in
south of India for jaundice.
HIV and Hypericum Perforatum
Herb
• The most significant
development in herbal
treatment of viral
infections is the recent
discovery of the antiviral
properties of hypercin
and pseudohypericin –
the major components of
St Johns
wort(hypericum).
The voice of the Practitioner
• More than 80% of the world
population use some kind of herbal
Materia Medica.
• In the least developing countries
people die and buried without knowing
whether they died of disease or of the
materia medica (herbs ) they used.
• 66 % of the world AIDS case are
located in Africa –herbs are the
medication of choice for treatment.
• Shouldn't this require the voice of
practitioners to be heard.