History of Herbalism and Its Influence on Modern Medicine

History of Herbalism and Its Influence on Modern Medicine
Student’s Name
Institution
Course Name and Number
Lecturer’s Name
Due Date
History of Herbalism
Herbalism involves the use of medicinal use of plants to treat diseases. It has its origin in ancient cultures. History depicts that herbalism dates back to the evolution of man due to the existence of plants. During this period, man relied on plants for basic needs like food, clothing, shelter, and medicine. (Benzie & Wachtel-Galor, 2011) Although the exact time humans started using herbs for medicinal purposes is unknown, archeological remains from early civilization indicate that humans used plants in burials and other rituals (HerbalClinic, n.d.). Much of the plant use appears to have been adopted by observing animals and through trial and error. Plants such as Yarrow and marshmallow roots were used in old age, having been found around the bones of a Stone Age man in Iraq (HerbalClinic, n.d.). These herbs are still widely used today. The whole Middle East has a rich history of herbal treatment.
Ancient cultures in Egypt and Mesopotamia also relied on herbal medicine. In Mesopotamia, prescriptions for using herbal medicine were found in clay tablets. Egyptian hieroglyphs show physicians in the first and second centuries AD using Senna pods to treat constipation (HerbalClinic, n.d.). They also used peppermint and caraway to relieve digestive problems. According to HerbalClinic (n.d.), herbal lore was passed down from generation to generation, and information was systematically gathered from natives and stored in herbal pharmacopeias. One of the first written herbal medicine records was the 'Pen Tsao' (collection of herbs) by a Chinese Emperor and herbalist, Chi’en Nung (Shennong) in around 2800BC (Klemow et al., 2011).
In his Pen Tsao book, Shennong listed about 365 healing remedies, dominated by plants. He wrote this book to help his people cure their illnesses (HerbalClinic, n.d.). This thoughtful king tasted all these herbs, looking for the right herb suitable for his people. Later, around 1800BC, the records of King Hammurabi of Babylon included instructions for the use of medicinal plants (Benzie & Wachtel-Galor, 2011). Throughout the Middle Ages, botanicals were the only available medicines. Some households planted them in their gardens to increase their availability. Regarding usage, village herbalists trained apprentices.
During the Tudor period (1485-1603), King Henry VIII of England was touched by the plight poor and their inability to afford