The uses of plants and herbs in medicine

Abstract

Various plan ts have been used thousands of years ago, in efforts to cure certain ailments in Mediterranean countries and elsewhere. As early as around the 4th and 5th century in Greece, Hippocrates was recommending asparagus and garlic for their diuretic and health aid qualities, willow leaves to relieve pain and headaches, poppies to help insomnia. In fact one of the ingredients of aspirin comes from the willow tree and some of the drugs used to treat certain heart problems come from the foxglove. Likewise in Sicily, Italy, France, Greece and Egypt, extensive use of certain plan ts were utilized in antiquity with a view to cure or allay diseases.