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Herbal Medicine


            The beginning of herbal medicine can be traced to ancient times. Primitive humans realized early that they strongly depended on nature for illness and everyday health. Early civilizations used their instincts, experiences, and tastes to figure out that they could use plants, minerals, and animal parts that were not part of their usual diet to treat their illnesses. The actual physical evidence of the first uses of herbal medicine dates back to the Neanderthals. A scientist discovered the bones of a Neanderthal man surrounded by plant pollens and herbs that were unmistakenly placed there. The community in which the man lived placed eight distinct parts of plants around the man. The plants that were found are still used in many cultures today. ("Herbal Medicine" 2).
             Cultures all over the word have been using herbal medicines for ages. The first written records of herbal knowledge were found in the Middle East. Clay tablets from the Mesopotamian area, and papyrus papers from Egypt were found with ingredients for herbal medicines, and the ailments that they treated. Next came the Greco-Roman period that brought about the use of the first herbal medicine books. These books included extensive drawings and descriptions of the plants used to treat certain illnesses. This knowledge was then passed on to the Muslim world. The Muslims used their knowledge, combined with the knowledge of the Chinese cultures to further the knowledge of how herbal medicines work and what they do. ("Herbal Medicine" 2).
             The Chinese culture influenced herbal medicine the most. Chinese medicine began to revolve around the natural world. Herbal medicine experts became more confident in their findings, and believed that health and disease were just part of nature. By studying and observing effects of nature's remedies, the Chinese culture was able to establish more than 250 medicinal substances. These substances were derived from everyday items such as herbs, wood, grain, fruits, vegetables, and even animal parts.


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