Herbal Medicine Through the Ages
By Jonathan Haeber
"Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble," the three witches of Shakespeare's Macbeth recite in Act IV. In the opening scene they list newt eyes, dog tongues, bat wool, and frog toes as ingredients in their spell. You may be surprised to know that their odd list of animal parts were actual herbal medicines.
It's beautiful imagery, but it also reflects the times. The opening scene of Act IV was a literal herbology training manual. In the Elizabethan Age, herbal and natural medicine training was a way of life. Informal natural health schools abounded, and even royal knights had their own herb gardens.
The witches in Macbeth were talking about common remedies of the time. "Newt eyes" referred to the "eye" flowers, including horehound and daisies. "Frog toes" were buttercups. "Bat wool" was the holly leaf.
Shakespeare knew his audience, and the Elizabethan audience knew their herbs. In Shakespeare's time, according to Dr. Michael Tierra, "'doctor' really meant professional, clinical herbalist."
Even today, we copy Shakespeare's tendencies to anthropomorphize herbs. We still use herb names such as "ladyslippers," "coltsfoot," "bloodroot," "liverleaf," and "turtlehead." The use of herbs as a natural medicine, however, wasn't born in England. As you will see, herbal medicine has a deeply rooted history, going as far back as 50,000 years.
The History of Herbology
The earliest known use of herbs was discovered in Shanidar Cave, Iraq. There, the herb Yarrow was used in a Neolithic funerary ritual, carbon dated to be over 50,000 years old. Yarrow is now an herbal medicine; some speculate that Neanderthals knew - and used - the medicinal properties of Yarrow.
Over 45,000 years later (ca. 3000 BC), Shennong, a Chinese herbalist, wrote the earliest known natural medicine training manual. The Classic of Materia Medica contained detailed descriptions of 252 herbal medicines, and it is still widely used throughout Asia. In Chinese herbology the proper balance of chi is required. Each patient is first diagnosed; then, a customized mixture of yin ("cold" herbs) and yang (herbs with "hot" properties) is achieved. Today, the yin-yang concept not only applies to herbology, but many other aspects of Chinese life.
As history progressed, humankind found new uses for herbs, both in ritual and in war. The Israelites and Romans used herbs in sacrificial rites; more importantly, surgeons traveling with the Roman army were renowned for their natural medicine training. Two of the most famous Greco-Roman surgeons, Dioscorides and Galen, wrote herbal compendiums that became respected medical texts for 1500 years.
Since then, thousands of herbs have been catalogued as "medicinal." According to American University, there are now almost 5,000 known medicinal herbs in the world, 80% of which grow in the province of Guizhou, China.
Natural Medicine in Modern Times
With the rise of Western medicine, you may wonder if herbal medicine is a dying field. As medical schools increasingly take a "Fordist" approach to the health practice, herbal medicine is dismissed as quackery. Dr. Andrew Weil would likely argue with that notion.
Dr. Weil is the world-renowned founder of the University of Arizona's Program in Integrative Medicine. He has appeared on Larry King Live, Oprah, and The Today Show. Dr. Weil's approach to aging well is through a combination of lifestyle choices, food selection, and herbal supplements.
"I think of aging as a continuous and necessary process of change," writes the 63-year-old Dr. Weil in Time Magazine. "It is important to learn how to live in appropriate ways in order maximize health and happiness."
Dr. Weil suggests a diet of "anti-inflammatory" foods and herbs. This includes antioxidants such as blueberries and pecans, but it also includes herbal supplements of ginger and turmeric. Ginger serves as an energy supplement and is also the "most widely used sexual enhancer for men," according to Dr. Weil. Turmeric, on the other hand, may prevent Alzheimer's disease. The population of rural India has some of the lowest rates of Alzheimer's in the world, which may be attributed to daily intake of Turmeric.
Dr. Weil espouses the proper use of herbal medicine. He calls on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to create a Division of Natural Therapeutic Agents to help regulate the labeling and use of herbs, vitamins, and minerals, "not with the intent of thwarting consumer access," he says, "but rather of ensuring that products on the market are safe, contain what they claim to contain, and do what they claim to do."
Natural Health Schools and Herbology Training
Society has come a long way since the witch-brewing days of Shakespeare, but herbal medicine training is bigger than it has ever been. The newest type of doctor is the holistic, alternative, and integrative medical doctor.
Integrative medical professionals use a combination of natural medicine, herbology, and Western medical training to provide the best combination of treatment for their patients, whether it involves the use of herbology, pharmaceuticals, or changes in lifestyle.
The field of integrative medicine is growing rapidly; patients are finding the benefits of doctors more attuned to their personal needs and desires. As baby boomers continue to age, there will be extra stress placed on the health professions. Demand and compensation for anyone who has a degree from schools of medicine or health is likely to rise.
If you feel that a career in herbology may be perfect for you, then you can explore some of the featured schools on this site, some of which are renowned for their top-notch natural medicine training. Perhaps someday, you'll be a part of curing some of our most debilitating diseases--all with the help of herbs.
About the Author
Jonathan Haeber is a marketing writer for Discovery Channel, and has contributed articles to National Geographic News, The Daily Californian, and CollegeBound Magazine. He possesses a dual English & Geography degree from The University of California, Berkeley.
