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Why Herbalists prefer Polypharmacy over Standardised Extracts from Single Herbs
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Polypharmacy is the provision of many herbs (in their whole state) in one formula, deliberately addressing many patient issues at the same time. Practitioners will select herbs to promote specific healing mechanisms, exposing the recipient to a range of therapeutic biochemistry to stimulate a range of healing mechanisms. These aid and reinforce each other. Some herbs known as 'simples' can be used on their own, due to their particular chemistry. Simples were and are a powerful part of medicinal plant use, yet formulas containing several plants provide an array of biochemistry able to stimulate, nurture, provoke, soften, combat, detoxify, eliminate and build all in one go. With this, many organs are worked and problems can be better addressed as the whole body is taken into consideration. Modern research has focused on standardising herb extracts, yet there are dangers in this strategy of isolating one perceived 'active ingredient'. The U.K.'s Department of Health is moving to recognise professional Herbal Practitioners. New legislation ('Proposed legislation on Traditional Herbal Medicines') has been drafted to ensure the safety of herbal preparations and their use. To this end, I encourage the modern and traditional groups to work together. We, the growers, collectors, biochemists, scientists, practitioners and patients - need to collaborate to make genuine progress. |
