Exploding recent popularity of herbs being used as drugs must be noticed. Dr. J. A. Duke notes that some may prefer the term botanical medicine, because it includes trees and shrubs as well as non-woody plants. Alternative therapies are techniques other than those learned in medical schools. These techniques may work where more conventional practices fall short. Some Historical and Regulatory Background Herbal remedies are not new.
All cultures possess folk medicine traditions using plants and plant products.
Out of these traditions individuals have methodically developed well-defined herbal pharmacopoeias. From these collections of drugs, efforts were made to treat every ailment of the body one can think of, such as infections, respiratory tract problems, digestive tract difficulties, cardiovascular system troubles, nervous system disorders, metabolic and endocrine problems, arthritis, problems of the skin, cancer and cataracts. After hundreds of years, the traditions of medicine changed, especially in industrialized nations, from herbs being the main source of medicinals to chemical formulations being the main source of medicinals. These chemical formulations are developed, standardized and scientifically tested for safety and efficacy. Regulations influenced the decline in the use of herbal products in the U. S. earlier this century.