Western Herbalism

Although the roots of Western Herbalism are generally thought of as being based on Hippocrates and other Greek physicians from around 400 BCE, it is certain that they were drawing on knowledge from other previous cultures. An Egyptian text on papyrus dating back to 1555 BCE states ‘Here begins the book of preparations of medicines for all parts of the human body’, and identifies 160 plant medicines; another from the same time lists 260 prescriptions. The Bible and the Jewish Talmud both make reference to medicinal herbs. The breath and trading capacity of the Roman Empire brought further plant knowledge and material from places such as India and China. In the 10th century, the world famous medical school in Salerno, Italy was a point of fusion of Latin, Greek, Arabic and Jewish cultures, and about the same time monasteries across Europe contributed to the development and documentation of herbal and medical practices. The first herbal book to be printed in English was known as the Grete Herball, in 1526. Western herbalism was originally based on a recognition of the energies and balance of elements, humors, and constitution (temperament) in both herbs and people. It is characterised by a person-centred approach, where the patient rather than the disease is the focus, and now incorporates plants from other areas of the world, not just Europe.