There is a long history of physicians giving medicinal plants orally to their patients prior to the advent of modern pharmaceutical drugs in the 1930s. Medicinal plant extracts are actually listed in the 8th edition of Useful Drugs, a handbook published by the American Medical Association in 1930.
Indeed today, conventional pharmaceutical companies rely on plant material to provide model chemical structures in the development of new drugs. Recent improved analytical methods have enabled studies on the traceability and safety of natural products, thus enhancing the acceptance of these natural commodities. Additionally, the World Health Organization Traditional Medicine Strategy Report from 2002 – 2005 aimed to counter both general skepticism as well as uncritical enthusiasm for medicinal herbs, and ultimately promoted appropriate use of plant materials for human welfare worldwide.
