Herbology is the study of plants and their healing properties. The natural resources, plants, roots, flowers and leaves are made use of to heal the diseases. The herbalism primarily focuses on the ability of the body to heal itself. The herbs that are consumed as part of the food or medicine provide nourishment to the body physically, mentally and spiritually. Prior to invention of the contemporary medical practices the herbs were the only source of medication. The herbs being the plants with medicine effects are used for treatment of diseases, adding nutritional values and other similar purposes. The herbs are classified in to five categories. These include Aromatic (volatile oils): Astringent (tannins): Bitter (pheonal, compounds, saponins and alkaloids): Mucilaginous (polysaccharides) and nutritive (food) [Principles of Herbology]. The herbology in present days can be divided in to five types. These are Western, Chinese, Japanese, Ayurveda [Indian] and Native American. In Western herbology the herbs are categorized according to healing properties. Extracts of the herbs are being used in Allopathic medicine as herbs contain a lot of chemical values. The Chinese herbology defines the herbs according to their characteristics of energy, tastes and body requirements
. The Chinese herbal medicine also includes use of minerals and animals. The Japanese herbal medication is generally similar to Chinese herbal medicine but difference is in applying the concepts of the definitions of yin and yang. The Ayurveda is also one of the oldest known herbal medicine systems that classify the herbs into three dosha’s or humours called Vata (Air), Pitta (Fire) and Kapha (water). Stability in these three energies ensures health. American natives use a number of plants as herbal medicine according to the properties and energies. The Chinese, Indian and Mayan cultures have developed and improved the herbal recipes over a period of time. More than 80,000 herbal prescriptions are recorded which are considered to be very effective...........
