Health and diseases are two states of a living organism defined by and understood through many physiological process. The absence of disease is not healthy, as much as the reverse, namely the absence of health, is not disease either. These two end points are connected through a continuum in which a person moves constantly.Health also refers to the psychosomatic equilibrium as well as the person...

Paeonia Radix is one of the most commonly used herbal drug in traditional Chinese medicine1 and folkloric medicine of different countries since ancient times2. A number of chemical and pharmacological studies have been conducted on the roots of Paeonia species. Monoterpen glycosides are the active constituents, among them; paeoniflorin is the main compound in genus Paeonia3. In traditional medi...

This work essentially represents two parts of a whole. Part one is a medical chronology and the reader is taken on an odyssey, as we chart the evolution of medicine from prehistoric times, through the ancient world, the middle ages, and into our modern world. Goddard writes with impressive authority, and reveals a deep love for learning, not just about medicine, but civilization. The author als...

Background Adiantum capillus-veneris Linn (Maidenhair fern) is an herb belonging to the family Pteridaceae. It is named as "Pare-siavashan" in medical and pharmaceutical textbooks of Iranian Traditional Medicine. The fronds of Maidenhair fern were mainly administrated by ancient physicians as single medicine or in combination with other plants in multi-herbal formulations for curing different d...

Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are enzymes that deadenylate nucleic acids and are broadly distributed in the plant kingdom. Many plants that contain RIPs are listed in the pharmacopoeias of folk medicine all over the world, mostly because of their toxicity. This review analyses the position occupied in traditional medicine by plants from which RIPs have been isolated. The overview starts...

Although medicine is an ancient science, only since the twentieth century there have been technological advances with widespread use in diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation. However, the introduction of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine did not take place until the second half of the past century. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of the role of intelligent tools in moder...

Siddha system of medicine is one of the ancient systems of medicine in India. According to Siddhars, peptic ulcer is known as Valigunmam with its signs and symptoms as detailed in Siddha literature matching modern terminology of peptic ulcer. Bhasma refers to calcinated metals and minerals. During this study the Bhasma of Musa paradisiaca Linn, is prepared and evaluated for its antiulcer effect...

Guidelines for the care and cure of illnesses have been an integral component of medicine from its origins. Extant records of ancient medicine document precise recommendations of then available therapeutic options, which lend themselves to analysis as algorithms of diagnosis and treatment [1]. The 5000-year-old Babylonian Code of Hammurabi clearly states the compensation for a cure and the puni...

oday’s interest in a diverse group of scientifically unproven therapies, collectively referred to as alternative or complementary medicine, has brought increased attention to culturally based therapeutic practices, including acupuncture and other aspects of traditional Chinese medicine. Mystic and ancient healing practices are worthy of study, both for their historical interest and because they...

It might seem strange that an article on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) should be written by a scientist living and working in England. The confidence of western people is low, when it comes to using Chinese plants and formulae. However, there are so many wonderful blends that are beneficial for the skin, both internally and used externally, that it is about time that more effort was spent ...