Traditional medicine can be defined as the total combination of knowledge and practice in diagnosing, preventing and treatment of physical, mental or social ailments which may rely exclusively on past experience and observations handed down from generation to generation.
A medical plant on the other hand is one or more of its organs that contains substance (active plants that can be used for therapeutic purpose). These active constituents include alkaloid, falvonoid, glycerin, to mention but a few.
All over Nigeria, irrespective of ethnic inclination, herbal remedies are held in high regards so much so as to almost conceal the availability of orthodox drugs. It is important however to have an objective view of the efficacy of the herbal remedies and its merits and demerits.
Merit
• It’s accessible and available in rural area where the orthodox medicine appears to be scarce.
• They serve as a very good source of new drugs (research wise)
• They don’t involve sophisticated preparation methods
• They are not known to involve drug resistance unlike the orthodox drugs
• They can handle a broad range of health issues
• They are cheap and affordable
Demerits
• They lack precise dosage
• They lack hygiene preparation
• They are easily associate with witchcraft and shrouded in mysteries
• They lack adequate diagnosis
• There is inadequate pharmacy information on the toxic side effect which may damage organs
• Very scanty scientific proof is available to authenticate the efficacy of the herbal remedies.
Nnamd i Bonny
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