The Herbal Treatment of
Diseases
• Phytotherapy (Herbal
medicine), the natural
therapies, by contrast, aims
not to ‘cure’ disease by a
technological fix.
• The nature in totality, is the
expression of a universal
harmony and equilibrium
the rupture of which gives
rise to numerous ill effects.
Objectives
The Author’s
Short Biographical
Summary
Name: Izzeldin.S.Hussein.
MDv, MS. MBA.
• Secretary General for Regional Iodinated products
producers R.I.S.P.A-Eastern Mediterranean and
North Africa Region.
• Regional consultant –Micronutrition.
• Member Board of Directors ICCIDD.
• Consultant to international agencies and individual
countries on Iodine Nutrition.
• Temp. Adviser to the World Health Organization.
Getting connected
• Professor Ronlaporte
and his team created
unprecedented opportunity for international
cooperation and
sharing of experience.
• What is the super course.
• Why go on line.
Medicinal Herbs
The Whole better than part.
• Powerful ingredients.
• Only 15% of estimated plant
species on earth have been
investigated for possible
Medicinal uses.
• The world Health
organization estimates that
80% of the earth population
today depends on plants to
treat common ailments.
• Traditional Healers are good
resources for scientific based
4
research.
POISONOUS PLANT AND
SAFE MEDICINE
*Straightforward definition
of a “poisonous plant”.
*The major poisonous
principles found among
plants are organic
compound.
*Herbal medicines are to
be prescribed with
greatest care.
Wellness
• Self healing.
• The Human body is
the greatest
machine in the
earth.
• The body is two
thirds- water.
• The Micronutrients:
Vitamins and
Minerals.
Phytochemicals
• No magic, diets high in
fruits, grains, legumes
reduce the risk of a number
of diseases, including
cancer, diabetes, high blood
pressure.
• Phytochemicals are the
biologically active
substances in plants that are
responsible for giving them
color, flavor and natural
disease resistance.
Philosophy-The Germ theory of
Disease
• Antoni van Leuwenhoek was first to see bacteria.
• Louis Pasteur was the founder of the Germ Theory
of Disease.
• Micro organism enter the body in number of ways.
• Specific diseases are caused by specific microorganism.
• Natural immunity is an inherited resistance to
infection.
Philosophy- Germ Theory…….
• Preventive measures were aimed at the destruction
of pathogenic bacteria.
• Therapeutic measures suggested by the Germ
Theory included asepsis, antisepsis and disinfection.
• Further measures put into effect are avoidance of
sources of infection.
• More scientific basis “Robert Koch postulates”.
How would you advise?
• More than 95 % of the
population in the least
developing countries use
herbs for health and other
purposes.
• More than one third of
Americans and Europeans
use herbs for health
purposes, spending over
7.0 billion annually.
• More than 25 % of
modern pharmaceutical
drugs have botanical
origins.
WHAT – IF?
What if a patient who has the
human immunodeficiency
virus has an increasing viral
load and ask your advise
about a medicinal herb for his
case?
*What if you don’t have access
to Amanatadine for
prevention and treatment of
Influenza A?
What if you are located in an
area where medicinal herbs
are used intensively by
public?
MATERIA MEDICA<1>
• Viruses are difficult to
inactivate chemically and
usually require highly
toxic agents to do so.
• Once a cell is infected it is
difficult selectively to
inhibit the virus without
harming the cell.
• * Medicinal herbs
contribute to the fight
against viral infections
through enhancement of
immunity.
Herbal Materia Medica <2>
Thymus Vulgaris and
T. Serpyllum L.
• Constituents:
• Volatile
oilincl.
Thymol;
• Tannins- up to 10%;
• Bitter principle;
• Saponins.
Materia Medica <3>
Allium Sativum L. (Garlic)
• Constituents:
• Volatile oil – containing
Alliin;
*Hormone –type substances;
• Glucokinin;
• Mucilage;
• Germanium.
Herbal Materia Medica <4>
ST JOHN’S WORT
• Constituents:
*Red pigment, Resin, Volatile oil
Carotenes,Taninnin, Flavanoide(inc.hypericin).
• Common use : Antidepressant.
• Investigational uses:Anticancer , antiviral
(including human immunodeficiency virus).
• Side effects : photosensitivity (rare,with large
dose.
• It is named after St John’s the Baptist because it
blooms around his feast day.
Materia Medica <5
VERVAIN
Constituents:
*Glycosides
(verbenalin);
*Bitter principle ;
* Volatile oil ;
*Taninn .
* Good prophylaxes for
Asthma and migraine.
Herbal Materia Medica <6>
JUNIPER BERRIES
Juniperus communis
*Constituents:
• Volatile oil –up to 2 %
of the pulp;
• Flavanoide;
• Tannins ;
• Bitter principle ;
• Sugars- up to 30%.
Herbal Materia Medica <7>
Astragalus membranaceus
• The antiviral action of
Astragalus is most
likely due to increased
immunity and
interferon production.
• Further researches are
encouraged by the
students and the
medical professionals.
Herbal Materia Medica <8>
Eleutherococcus Senticosus.
• Positive effect of
Eleutherococcus
Senticosus in very
early stages of HIV
infection by
preventing or retarding
spread of the virus.
• Further researches are
encouraged by
professionals on the
effect of
Eleutherococcus on
the immune system.
Herbal Materia Medica <9>
Marigold(Calendula)
Calendula officinalis L
**Constituents:
• Saponins
• Carotenoids
• Bitter principle
• Essential oil
• Sterols
• Flavonoids,
• Mucilage
• Resin
Herbal Materia Medica<10>
HOPS(Humulus Lupus L.)
Humulus Lupus L.
*Constituents:
• Volatile oil;
• Bitter resin complex –
includes valerianic
acid, cf. valerian;
• Tannins – condensed;
• Oestrogenic substances;
• Resins;
• Choline;
• Aspragine.
Materia Medica -Antiviral
Effects of Herbs
Lomatium dissectum
Constituents:
• Flavonoids;
• Coumarins;
• Tetronic acids.
• Root of L.dissectum
may be valuable for
the treatment of the
Chronic fatigue
syndrome, for which
there is no accepted
orthodox treatment.
Anti viral Effects and
Phyllanthus Amarus
Phyllanthus Amarus.
*Constituents:
• Lignans such as:
Phyllanthin and
hypophyllanthin;
• Flavonoids;
• Alkaloids.
• Leaves of Phyllanthus
are an important
remedy in south of
India for jaundice.
HIV and Hypericum Perforatum
Herb
• The most significant
development in herbal
treatment of viral
infections is the recent
discovery of the
antiviral properties of
hypercin and
pseudohypericin –the
major components of
St Johns
wort(hypericum).
The voice of the Practitioner
• More than 80% of the world
population use some kind of
herbal Materia Medica.
• In the least developing countries
people die and buried without
knowing whether they died of
disease or of the materia medica
(herbs ) they used.
• 66 % of the world AIDS case are
located in Africa –herbs are the
medication of choice for
treatment.
• Shouldn't this require the voice
of practitioners to be heard.
Sources of information and
acknowledgments
• This lecture draws extensively
from material presented on the
European Journal of Herbal
Medicine , the British journal of
phytotherapy and the America’s
guide to natural Health.
• In particular, the summaries of
information on materia medica
is gratefully acknowledged.
• Students are encouraged to
explore the Supercourse site
(I.prevention).