Traditional and Herbal Medicines, Regulation: United States

Herbal medicines, also referred to as botanicals and phytotherapy, include use of whole plants or plant parts in raw or extract form for therapeutic purposes. Herbal combinations are also used, although this practice is less conventional in Western branches of the field than in others. Common examples of the range of herbs used for medicinal purposes include ginkgo for cognitive functioning, ginseng for energy, echinacea for the common cold, chamomile as a sedative, and flaxseed for cancer and heart disease. Traditional medicines, also referred to as indigenous or folk medicines, are medicinal systems used in a wide range of societies for many generations before introduction of modern medicine. These include health approaches and practices including but not limited to acupuncture, spiritual therapies, homeopathic treatments, traditional ...