Articles
MEDICINAL PLANTS – EAST MEETS WEST
Article number
629_6
Pages
49 – 53
Language
English
Abstract
Plants have been used in treating human diseases for thousands of years.
Traditional medicine is still the primary source of treating disease for the majority of people in developing countries, including China, despite the advances of modern scientific medicine (Li, 2000). Even among those to whom Western medicine is available, the number of people using complementary or alternative medicine is rapidly increasing worldwide (Lambert et al., 1997). In herbal medicine, both Chinese and Western medicinal plants have their own specific characteristics and philosophy.
Traditional Chinese medicine generally uses crude extracts from a number of herbs, which tend to include a wide range of chemical constituents.
By contrast, conventional western prescription drugs usually contain a single compound active ingredient to treat a single ailment (Li, 2002).
Traditional medicine is still the primary source of treating disease for the majority of people in developing countries, including China, despite the advances of modern scientific medicine (Li, 2000). Even among those to whom Western medicine is available, the number of people using complementary or alternative medicine is rapidly increasing worldwide (Lambert et al., 1997). In herbal medicine, both Chinese and Western medicinal plants have their own specific characteristics and philosophy.
Traditional Chinese medicine generally uses crude extracts from a number of herbs, which tend to include a wide range of chemical constituents.
By contrast, conventional western prescription drugs usually contain a single compound active ingredient to treat a single ailment (Li, 2002).
Authors
T.S.C. Li
Keywords
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