Western Herbal Medicine

Western herbal medicine involves using plants and plant material to create medicines to help prevent or treat various illnesses. Herbal formulations may use some or all parts of a plant, such as flowers, roots, fruits, leaves, and bark.

Traditional Western herbal medicine evolved mostly from the ancient Greeks, who were strongly influenced by Egyptian and Middle Eastern civilizations. Western herbal medicine also has roots in the indigenous practices of the British Isles and ancient Roman traditions. Well-known historical physicians including Hippocrates and Galen are thought to have used herbal medicine in their practices. The use of various herbal formulas is one of the oldest and possibly the most widespread form of medicine.

Herbal remedies are used for many treatments, such as improvement or general support of digestive, respiratory, circulatory, immune, endocrine, and nervous system processes. Herbs are also used to potentially remove waste and toxins from bodily cells or topically to promote healing of the skin.