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Herbs have been used since ancient times for healing purposes and maintaining good health. Even scientists have used the extract of hers in developing conventional drugs, thus establishing beyond doubt the importance and usefulness of herbal medicines. According to data of the WHO, the use of herbal remedies throughout the world exceeds conventional drugs by two to three times.
Herbal medicines are a complete system of treatment to the achievement of good health. The therapeutic values of herbs cannot be denied and in almost all types of disorders, herbs are used as medicine in one form or the other, though in varying degrees and forms. There are innumerable instances in the world where a number of diseases have been cured by the administration of very simple natural remedies derived from herbs.
Herbs work from the roots of the disease and support a natural self-healing process thereby restoring the health of the patient in hers, different medicinal properties are located in all parts. When a herbal preparation is taken, the different medicinal properties are released in the body in a well-balanced manner, keeping in view the well-being of the whole body. On the other hand, when a separated alkaloid or other active principle is taken, as in the case of modern medicines, it plays a useful role in one part of the body, without any regard to what happens to the rest of the body. The herbs used in ayurveda are often taken in combination with others in order to neutralize the toxicity of one herb with the opposite effect of the other. Detailed information on herbal medicines can be found in two important books on ayurvedic system of medicines - Charak Samhita and Sushruta
Samhita.
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