What is herbalism and how do herbal remedies work?

As a child, inspite of my parent’s warning not to play close to the nettles, I sometimes got stung. Fortunately, alongside the nettles, we always found Dock leaves (Rumex sp.). By crushing the leaf and applying the sap to the affected area, the stinging sensation disappeared and we continued to play, this time a little further from the nettles. Without knowing it, this is how I started practising herbalism : identification of the plant, preparation and external application of the remedy.

Herbalism is the ancestral art of recognising and knowing how to use plants to re-establish balance, promote well-being and support the natural self-regulating systems in your body. It relies on the natural properties of medicinal plants used in different forms such as compresses, infusions, decoctions, tinctures, herbal infused oils and balms, amongst others.

This approach requires extensive knowledge of wild and cultivated medicinal plants, their properties, their preparation, their doses and safety precautions ; an understanding of physiology as well as imbalances in the body’s systems and how plants can help to rebalance them ; and a proactive interest in scientific evidence-based research.

Just like my use of dock leaves to soothe nettle sting, the practice of herbalism is passed down from generation to generation, often orally. It’s a practice which has existed since early civilisations and which has made major contributions to modern medecine and to the discovery of new treatments [1].

Medicinal plants work thanks to chemical molecules which can have physiological effects on human beings. These substances can modulate certain biological functions, for example by reducing inflammation or influencing the nervous system, and can help the body to maintain or restore physiological balance [2].

Herbalism has a number of benefits for health, society as a whole, the environment and individual autonomy. It encourages a direct link with nature and respect for natural habitats and the body’s natural processes [3].

The use of medicinal plants can be found in all populations and all cultures of the world. It is not necessary to follow lengthy studies to become interested in herbalism. Herbalism is accessible to everyone. Learning about one plant is a great start. It could be a dock or a plantain leaf which is crushed and applied to a minor skin irritation, a soothing cup of Lemon Balm or Chamomille, or simply the observation of plants in your local area. Today is a great day to begin!

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[1] Yuan, H., & al., (2016). The Traditional Medicine and Modern Medicine from Natural Products. Molecules, 21(5), 559. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules21050559

[2] Riaz, M., & al., (2023). Phytobioactive compounds as therapeutic agents for human diseases: A review. Food Science & Nutrition, 11, 2500–2529. https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.3308

[3] Thévenin, T. (2013) Plaidoyer pour l’herboristerie : comprendre et défendre les plantes médicinales , Édition Actes Sud