Botanical Basics

Botanical medicine can be used to help prevent and treat many different health conditions. Ever wanted to learn more about herbs? Here we discuss the basics of botanical medicine!

In a field of echinacea flowers at the Gaia Herbs farm in Brevard, NC

Botanical medicine, also known as herbal medicine, involves the use of medicinal plants and extracts to improve overall health, as well as to treat chronic and acute conditions. There are thousands of different plants that can be used medicinally, with some estimates being over 50,000! Before attending naturopathic medical school, I really didn't know much about botanical medicine. However, after 5 required courses, 3 elective courses (including a trip to an herb farm in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains), and using it for patients and myself, I’m a fan. At some point during medical school, I realized that plants are like God’s natural medicine. He created the plants, and many years ago, people realized which ones could be used medicinally and for what ailments. That’s pretty amazing, but I’m kind of glad I was not the one testing them out! Even today, botanical medicine is still widely used, and many pharmaceutical medications are synthesized from plant material.

If you are like I was and don’t know much about botanical medicine, read on to gain a deeper understanding. Let’s break down some of the basics of botanical medicine, FAQ-style:

What are Plants Good for?

Each herb tends to be good at treating many different things. For instance, when you consider lavender, you probably think of how it helps you to relax or even drift off to sleep. But that is not its only action—it can help relieve musculoskeletal pain, calm the digestive system, has antiseptic qualities, etc. Although herbs generally have many uses, they are often really good at specific things or have an affinity for a certain part of the body. Just like lavender is good at relaxation, turmeric is known to be really great at modulating inflammation within the body and thus, helping to relieve pain. Aloe vera is famous for its use in treating sunburns on the skin, among other things. Other herbs may be used to help improve digestion, balance hormones, tonify the cardiovascular system, boost the immune system, or help improve memory and cognitive functioning—and these are only several examples.

In naturopathic medical school, we learn of the primary and secondary actions associated with these herbs—primary actions being what an herb can do best and secondary actions being what the herb can do to some degree, but just does not specialize in. Several examples of herbal actions include inflammation modulator, hypoglycemic (lowers blood sugar), sedative, analgesic (relieves pain), hypolipidemic (lowers cholesterol), and adaptogenic (helps the body adapt to stressors).

Which Part of the Plant is Used?

Even if you can recognize a plant out in the wild, you still need to know how and when to harvest it, which part of the plant is actually used as medicine, and how to extract the medicine from the plant. Fortunately, herbal supplements and tinctures are becoming more readily available for purchase, so that really simplifies the process for us. For some plants, the root is the part that is used as medicine. For others, it is the flowering parts, the berries, the seeds, etc. Perhaps one of the most interesting is cordyceps. Cordyceps is great at increasing endurance and energy, among other things, but its origin might just make your stomach turn! Cordyceps is parasitic fungi that grows on the larvae of insects. I will refrain from sharing more details, but wouldn’t you love to know who first discovered cordyceps and how they did?!

How Can I Use Plants?

How you use a plant medicinally depends on which plant it is. Some plants are better used topically, some can be made into therapeutic teas, others are best taken via an alcohol tincture, etc. How you use the plants will also depend on how the constituents are extracted from the plant. Some plants need alcohol to best extract the medicinal properties, some plants only need water, and so on. Let’s say you wanted to brew a medicinal tea with some plant leaves—that herbal tea might not be very effective if the plant's constituents are actually best extracted from the root, using alcohol!

Are All Herbs/Plants Safe?

Not only are they not all safe (some plants that you may encounter out in the wild can kill you), but not all plants that are considered safe are safe for everyone. Herbs carry cautions and contraindications, as well as safety ratings. If you are pregnant, could become pregnant, or are nursing, there are various herbs that you would not want to take because they can harm the growing fetus or pass through to the baby through the breast milk. An easy, more specific example is that herbal laxatives would be contraindicated for those with inflammatory bowel disease because the laxative effect would likely cause their bowel issues to become worse. There are many other examples that are not so obvious unless you know the actions and properties of the plant. In addition, herbs can also interact with some medications.

How Much of an Herb Can I Take?

Herbal dosing instructions vary widely. Some herbs are “low dose” ones, meaning you can really only give low doses without causing some unpleasant or potentially dangerous side effects. With other herbs, the doses can be much higher. Interestingly, some herbs may perform one action if taken in low doses and another when taken in high doses. In some cases, people do not take enough of an herb to get the full therapeutic effect. Unfortunately, they may then believe that the herb does not work, when in reality, it may have been user error.

Do Herbs Have Side Effects?

Yes, they can. If taken responsibly, though, and you consider all of these different factors (dosing, contraindications, etc.), you’ll greatly lower your chances of experiencing side effects. In addition, herbs generally cause much fewer side effects than pharmaceutical medications or even some over-the-counter medications.

There’s lot to learn about herbs! That’s why it is a good idea to consult with an herbalist or naturopathic doctor before you begin taking an herbal product. Herbs can be really beneficial for so many different health concerns, which is why botanical medicine is one of my favorite naturopathic modalities to use.