Medicinal Plants

Medicinal plants refer to crops that are used for healing purposes because of their positive properties. Before the development of modern medicine, they formed an important basis of folk medicine. Today, they are primarily used in the study of medicinal plants. Furthermore, the effects of some medicinal plants are now so well researched that they also appear as medical active ingredients in medications.

The classification of plants as medicinal plants is based solely on their function. For this reason, plants of different botanical origins belong to this group.

 

The study of medicinal plants distinguishes medicinal plants from other plant raw materials or components and active substances:

Herbal drug: Plant parts, raw or processed, from which medicines are made

Phytopharmaceutical: Finished medicine based on medicinal plants

Phytogenic active ingredient: Medical active ingredient obtained from plant components

Medicinal plant: Plant that can be used for medical purposes

 

Even the oldest human records found show the use of plants because of their positive effects on health and well-being. This even indicates the deliberate cultivation of medicinal plants. From antiquity, the first categorizations of plant applications are known. In the Middle Ages, the use and cultivation of medicinal plants focused on monastery gardens. In her works on natural history, the abbess Hildegard von Bingen listed numerous plants and their effects in treating various diseases. One of her key achievements was using the German names of the respective plants, so her findings still have an impact today.

 

In Hildegard von Bingen’s folk medicine, medicinal plants held an important position. In her works, the universally recognized saint studied around 200 plants. Many of these have today been confirmed as medicinal plants by studies for their medical effectiveness, others have already disappeared, and some can no longer be clearly identified by name today.

In her treatises on medicinal herbs, the abbess already pointed out that caution is especially necessary when using medicinal herbs. Only in the correct dosage can the plants develop their healing effect.

Among the most important medicinal plants studied by Hildegard von Bingen are the following:

Bertram, which according to Hildegard von Bingen helps with gastrointestinal complaints and heart diseases

Sweet chestnut, which the abbess attributed positive effects on all internal human diseases

Verbena, which the saint considered a good remedy for inflammations and poorly healing wounds

Galangal, which the naturopath recommended for fever, cough, as well as heart and lung problems