Herbal medicine has its origins in ancient cultures. It involves the medicinal use of plants to treat disease and enhance general health and wellbeing.

Some herbs have potent (powerful) ingredients and should be taken with the same level of caution as pharmaceutical medications. In fact, many pharmaceutical medications are based on man-made versions of naturally occurring compounds found in plants. For instance, the heart medicine digitalis was derived from the foxglove plant. 

Active ingredients and herbal medicine

Herbal medicines contain active ingredients. The active ingredients of many herbal preparations are as yet unknown. Some pharmaceutical medications are based on a single active ingredient derived from a plant source. Practitioners of herbal medicine believe that an active ingredient can lose its impact or become less safe if used in isolation from the rest of the plant. 

For instance, salicylic acid is found in the plant meadowsweet and is used to make aspirin. Aspirin can cause the lining of the stomach to bleed, but meadowsweet naturally contains other compounds that prevent irritation from salicylic acid. 

Recently, Australia has produced an impressive range of Australian grown certified organic remedies where single herbs are used for several common ailments. As liquids, the remedies have a faster uptake in the body which is often referred to as “bioavailability”. Uptake also represents time to take effect and in general, liquids are much faster in their onset of qction compared to capsules or tablets.

Australia’s new entrants include treatment for immunity support, sleeplessness, mood balance, menstrual support, cardiovascular support, calmative, cough, liver health and bloating.

Each remedy is prepared from freshly harvested botanical material. Undergoing extraction using ethanol and water, the herbs liberate the full plant profile. Extracting the complete profile ensures that all the important component compounds that are solubilized are captured in the final extract. The intention is not to separate components since there are views that each element in the extract can or may have synergy with other elements.

Using a system of precise dosing which is demonstrated using the Herbanica® syringe dose dispenser ensures that the correct amount of herbal remedy is delivered to the individual.

With a history of traditional use supporting each of the herbs, there is a wealth of study by natural health practitioners supporting the role of herbal extracts as part of an integrative medical treatment protocol.

Always speak to your healthcare provider when choosing to use complementary medicines, remedies or other forms of treatment.