Herbal Medicine  Alternate Names    • Herbology   • Western
Herbal Medicine   Along with massage therapy , herbal treatment
is undoubtedly one of the most ancient forms of medicine. By the
time written history began, herbal medicine was already in full
swing and being used in all parts of the world.  There are
several major surviving schools of herbal medicine. Two of the
most complex systems are Ayurveda (the traditional herbal
medicine of India) and Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine
(TCHM) . Both Ayurveda and TCHM make use of combinations of
herbs. However, the herbal tradition in the West focuses more on
individual herbs, sometimes known as simples. That is the form
of herbology discussed here.  History of Herbal Medicine
Originally, herbal medicine in Europe was primarily a women’s
art. The classic image of witches boiling herbs in a cauldron
stems to a large extent from this period. Beginning in about the
13th century, however, graduates of male-only medical schools
and members of barber-surgeon guild