Phytotherapy |
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Phytotherapy is the science of using plants to address and prevent symptoms and promote health based on scientific identification of the active components of each herb and a greater understanding of the way that herbs work in the context of human physiology. It is an extension of the traditional art of herbal medicine. Although this science helps us understand the action of herbs, the whole plant is the active ingredient with many constituents that work synergistically together. Many pharmaceutical drugs have a long history of use as herbal medicines, e.g. opium, aspirin, digitalis, and quinine. However, pharmaceutical companies isolate the ‘active ingredient’ to magnify its actions, and to sell the medication as their unique product. By isolating some of these active ingredients some of the therapeutic benefits of the herb will be lost and safety reduced. A phytocomplex is the combination of all of the substances present in a plant, which together are responsible for the plant's therapeutic effects. These complexes have fewer undesirable side effects than single pharmaceutical substances due to the presence of inert substances that regulate biological activity, besides the principle active components. Because
of the high number of substances present within the complex, numerous
pharmacological effects occur so that various problems can be treated with only
one remedy. Phytocomplexes can also be combined with synthetic medicines as
supportive therapy.
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Dynamic Healing |