Herbal Medicine

The branch of chemistry concerned with the chemical compounds produced by plants, including their identification, biosynthesis, and pharmacological activity. Phytochemicals such as alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenes, and glycosides are the active constituents responsible for the therapeutic effects of medicinal herbs.

The process of ensuring that herbal products contain consistent, defined amounts of specific active compounds or marker substances. Standardization addresses the natural variability in phytochemical content that can result from differences in growing conditions, harvest time, and processing methods.

Pharmacological interactions that occur when herbal products are taken alongside conventional medications, potentially altering the absorption, metabolism, distribution, or excretion of either substance. These interactions can lead to increased toxicity or reduced efficacy of prescription drugs.

A comprehensive medical system originating in China over 2,000 years ago that uses herbal formulas, acupuncture, dietary therapy, and other modalities. TCM herbal practice typically combines multiple herbs into formulas designed to address a patient's overall pattern of disharmony rather than a single symptom.

The herbal component of Ayurveda, the traditional medical system of India, which uses plants classified according to their taste (rasa), potency (virya), post-digestive effect (vipaka), and special properties (prabhava) to restore balance among the three doshas (vata, pitta, kapha).

The scientific discipline focused on the study of drugs and bioactive substances derived from natural sources, including plants, fungi, and marine organisms. It encompasses the identification, authentication, and quality assessment of crude drugs and their active constituents.

A category of herbs that are proposed to help the body resist physical, chemical, and biological stressors. Adaptogens are theorized to normalize physiological processes and promote homeostasis by modulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the stress response system.

The fraction of an ingested herbal compound that reaches systemic circulation in an active form. Many phytochemicals have poor bioavailability due to low solubility, poor absorption, or rapid first-pass metabolism, which can limit their therapeutic effectiveness.

The interdisciplinary study of the relationships between people and plants, including how different cultures use plants for medicine, food, shelter, and ritual. Ethnobotanical research often serves as the starting point for bioprospecting and the discovery of new medicinal plant candidates.

A comprehensive scientific document describing a specific herbal substance, including its botanical identity, chemical composition, pharmacological actions, clinical evidence, dosing, safety, and quality standards. Herbal monographs are published by regulatory and professional bodies to guide safe and effective use.