| Use of herbs for health and as a medicine has a | | | | Herbal products are derived from botanical sources. |
| history dating back to man's evolution on the planet. | | | | Most of the herbal products are safe to use for its |
| From times immemorial, man has experimented and | | | | nutritional value. For medicinal purposes, it is better to |
| used botanicals to heal and provide remedial | | | | check out the source and labels to ascertain safety, |
| treatments. | | | | evidence of its healing properties and whether the |
| Ancient cultures from India, China and Japan have | | | | herbs are safe for general consumption. |
| remarkable history of herbal use which part of the | | | | World health organization has estimated that 80 % |
| pharmacopoeia of these cultures. While the herbs | | | | of the world population uses some or the other |
| have been extensively, there are very little clinical | | | | herbs for health and healing. Increasing research is |
| experiments until about 100 years back. However, | | | | throwing up clinical evidence for its efficacy in |
| there is an extensive and exhaustive empirical | | | | prevention of various modern day problems such as |
| evidence of the efficacy of various herbal | | | | cancer, diabetes, nervous disorders and blood |
| treatments. | | | | pressure. Most of the herbal products available today |
| In the last century, there has been an increased | | | | are conveniently processed and packed as herbal tea |
| interest in herbal remedies due to its cost | | | | or coffee, and in the form of capsules as nutritional |
| effectiveness and non-toxic nature. Herbs are | | | | food. While products labeled as nutritional |
| generally safe to use as medicine in or general tonic | | | | supplements are safe to use it is best to consult a |
| for maintaining good health. | | | | physician for treatment of disease. |