ABSTRACT
Herbal medicine refers to the use of medicinal plants for therapeutic purposes and is one of the main complementary medicine (CM) modalities contributing to human health care throughout the world. The use of herbal medicine predates written history, with a pouch of medicinal herbs found in the personal effects of “Otzi the Iceman” whose body has been frozen for more than 5700 years. Written herbal medicinal history may be dated to around 2500 years ago with records of herbs used by Shen Nong in ancient China, documenting around 365 medicines including plants, animals, and mineral products (such as tiger bone, deer antler, and earth dragon). Ayurvedic medicine, the traditional healing system of India, is detailed in several classical texts that date back to around 2000 years ago. Plants for medicine have continued to be used throughout the world in the management of disease, to enhance general health, and to promote longevity.
