Introduction to Natural Product Chemistry, Pharmacognosy and Naturopathic Medicine

Objective:

i. This chapter enables the reader to know about what is traditional medicine, the benefit and importance of traditional medicine and its branches.

Key words:

Traditional medicine, natural medicine, naturopathic medicine, herbal medicine, complementary medicine.

Australia and New Zealand have the oldest living cultural history in the world, which goes back 65,000-50,000 years. It has lasted due to the ability of the indigenous people to adapt and change over time. The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders from different heritage, and the Māori people in New Zealand have been using herbal remedies, or Rongoa, passed through generations as a long history of traditional medicinal practice [1-9].

Naturopathic medicine is the combined use of natural remedies to help the body heal itself through natural substances such as food, herbs, and water along with physical practices like massage, exercise, psychotherapy and counseling as well as extensively manipulate the body’s physiology and biochemistry by means of botanicals, nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals . A naturopath uses remedies such as herbs, homeopathy, massage therapy, acupuncture, counseling, and nutritional coaching to enable the body to restore and maintain whole-person health.

Complementary medicine or “alternative medicine” refer to a broad set of health care practices that are not part of that country’s own tradition or conventional medicine and are not fully integrated into the dominant health-care system. They are used interchangeably with traditional medicine in some countries.

Herbal medicine is the healing system using herbs, herbal materials, herbal preparations and finished herbal products, that contain as active ingredients parts of plants, or other plant materials, or combinations.

References

1. Rahman, M., Khatun, A., Liu, L., & Barkla, B. J. (2018). Brassicaceae mustards: Traditional and agronomic uses in Australia and New Zealand. Molecules, 23(1), 231.

2. Te Ara The Encyclopaedia of New Zealand. https://teara.govt.nz/en

3. Answers, A. Australian crop update; Rural Bank Limited: Adelaide, Australia 2016.

4. Australian New Crops Info 2016-Listing of Interesting Plants of the World: Alliaria petiolata. http://www.newcrops.info/listing/species_pages_A/Alliaria_petiolata.htm

5. Holm, L. R. G. World Weeds: Natural Histories and Distribution, Wiley: 1997; 9780471047018.

6. Australia, N. L. Australian National Bibliography: 1992, National Library of Australia: 1961.

7. Yaniv, Z.; Bachrach, U. Handbook of Medicinal Plants, Taylor & Francis: 2005; 9781560229957.

8. Woodward, P. Penny Woodward's Australian Herbal : A Practical Guide to Growing and Using Herbs in Temperate Australia and New Zealand, Hyland House Publishing Pty Ltd: Flemington, Australia, 1996; 875657630.

9. ACME Australian Indigenous cultural heritage. http://www.australia.gov.au/about-australia/australian-story/austn-indigenous-cultural-heritage (10 November)

10. Traditional healing and medicine. in The Australian Indigenous HealthInfoNet: https://healthinfonet.ecu.edu.au/learn/cultural-ways/traditional-healing-and-medicine/