Introduction to Herbal medicine or plant refers to the term herb. To introduce the herbal plants we have elaborated the word herb to you. The etymological meaning of herb is ‘plant’ which is derived from old French Erbe and Latin word Herba. Most commonly herbs mean those plant or aromatic ingredients that give benefits to our health. It will protect and prevent us from many diseases.

According to Wikipedia, ‘an herbal is a collection of descriptions of the plant put together for medicinal purposes’. So we can say that herb is a kind of plant, flower or fruit which is used as medicine. It is also called as natural medicine. Sometimes we used botanic aroma which are gotten from the source of different herbs or aromatic plants.

At the very beginning of human civilization where the word treatment was used it was nothing but herbal treatment. It has been said that herbal remedy born before the word ‘History’ was used. Literally we get the practice of herbal remedy in ancient China and consequently Egypt, India, Arab, and Europe.

It is said that the founder of Chinese herbal medicine book was the Emperor Shennong. His book was named Shennong Bencao Jing. He was lived around 2800 BC. He indicates 365 high-quality herbs which are preserved in this precious book.

In Egypt, we evidently found Papyrus Ebers that is the earliest known of herbals. In 1556 BCE it had come to the existence in the History as an archaeological proof. Now it has almost lost except the collection of only a few pages.

There was a record of Mesopotamian herbals which are full of herbal vegetables. Among them, the most appealing is the earliest Sumerian herbal that dates from around 2500 BC as a copied manuscript of the 7th century BC.  An amount of 250 drugs emblazoned in the 7th century. These herbal drugs are named saffron, cumin, turmeric, and sesame which are still in use today.

Indian’s started their social life with the use of herbs. The Ayurveda is an ancient word that is based in thousands of years old religious mythology of Hinduism. However, Indus Valley Civilization proves and gives the testimonial to the Indians who are the pioneer in practicing of herbal remedies. In the ‘Veda’ we get the name of Sushruta Samhita Which contains 184 chapters and a description of 1120 illnesses, 700 medicinal plants.

In Europe, Greece Civilization can be declared as the center of the researcher and developer of herbal medicine. It is worth mentioning the name of  Hippocrates. He is called the father of western medicine. He prescribed his patient the natural healing power by asking them to eat an apple, cider, vinegar.

From the Anglo Saxon period to the Modern Age England’s herbal medicine which is known as alternative medicine industries contributed a lot to the history of an organic sources of medicine.