Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Traditional medicines vindicated by modern science

Not all medicines we take for granted today are derived from experimentation from a lab. Many of today’s over-the-counter and prescription medicines owe their existence primarily through renewed research on traditional medicines since the 19th and 20th Centuries.

A few of these traditional medicines and medical practices now found to be effective have become popular, enough to be adopted by major medical facilities or become household names.


Willow bark and aspirin

Image Source: bulkherbstore.com
 















Willow bark has been used in the temporary treatment of aches and pains since time immemorial. Cultures as far apart as the Ancient Greeks and the Native American peoples have used willow bark as a medical staple for much of their medical history. Willow bark is now known to contain salicylic acid, which is a precursor to aspirin.


Cinchona and Quinine

Image Source: carlsbergfondet.dk
 















First discovered by the Quechan people of Peru and later by Jesuit Missionaries, quinine is an anti-inflammatory drug taken from the bark of the cinchona tree. This drug is today used in the treatment of malaria and today is still used to treat people with malaria when more modern antimalarial drugs cannot be used, such as in pregnant women.


Acupuncture

Image Source: telegraph.co.uk
 
















Acupuncture is a Chinese medical philosophy that involves curing ailments and relieving pain through the administering of needles to certain points in the body. It is now known to be surprisingly effective, though how it works is still poorly understood. It is currently being offered by respected mainstream medical centers for this reason.


Science has revealed time and again that not a few ancient medical practices such as these have a very real and positive effect on the human body. This has made many forms of traditional medicine worth a second look.



Dr. Rachna Mehra focuses on a number of medical treatments that rely on traditional and alternative methods. Visit this website for more information.

No comments:

Post a Comment