The Lost Glory of Folk medicine
Herbal medicines were used with magical practices, sometimes alone. Many of the herbs used by the American Indians–such as datura, coca, cinchona, curare, cascara sagrada, and the like–are now used as drugs in modern scientific medicine. Herbal medicines are assuming greater importance in the primary health care of individuals and communities in many developing countries and there has been an increase in international trade in herbal medicines. However, in most countries the herbal medicines market is not adequately regulated, and the products are therefore unregistered and often not controlled by regulatory bodies.
Chinese medicine has also continued many traditional practices. Most of the knowledge of early Chinese medicine has been gleaned from the Yellow Emperor’s Nei Ching (Classic of Internal Medicine), which formerly was thought to date from before the year 2000 BC but is now believed to be from the 2nd century BC. Artemisinin, a potent Antimalarial drug was derived from Artemisia annua, a plant traditionally used in China for the treatment of malaria. A decoction of dried herb is taken for curing this aliment.