What is ethnopharmacology?
ethnopharmacology is a study ethnic group and their health, how their health relates to their lifestyle and their use of drugs - traditional and pharmaceutical - whether this drug is specific to the area in which the group lives and how long this drug has been using. The term ethnopharmacology was first created in 1967 with the study of hallucinogenic plants. It is grouped under a larger industry of ethnopharning, which focuses on the perception and use of traditional medicine in society. Ethnopharmacology includes a wide range of scientists from various specialties. In recent years, ethnopharmacology has become increasingly popular because more studies have confirmed the beneficial effects of plants on human health. Advanced development of pharmacognosa, study of drugs derived from natural sources, HJAK is provided strong scientific backup for further research of the medicinal properties of plants. New drugs appear by studying ethnofharmacology. Many common medicines used in contemporary society come, at least partially,from natural sources. In this way, the study of medicinal plants helps to estimate the beneficial effects of a drug derived from plants and determines the existence of any adverse effects on a studied group of people. These are important studies of discovery of drugs for natural products.
An important aspect of ethnopharmacology is pharmacology itself, which includes the study of the effects of drugs or mechanisms. It looks at how the drug works in the biological system and how this biological system reacts to the medicine. Pharmacological studies are performed by the flaboraratory, sometimes using animals. In principle, if the compound is found to have healing properties, it is considered pharmaceutical.
ethnopharmacology is also expanding to food study as medicine. It is known that aspects of certain foods have healing properties; For example, Resveratrol obtained from red grapes is known to be a strong antioxidant and eikosapentaen acidOmega -3 acid (docosahexaenic acid (DHA) of fish have anti -inflammatory properties. The medicinal ingredients are often extracted and sold as food supplements, a category that is not regulated as food or medicine. They can also be added back to food products.
Although people have used natural substances in healing for centuries, only recently has this science become a well -recognized and accepted medicinal method. The growth of science in this area justifies what traditional cultures have practiced all the time. This validation has resulted in increased awareness and trust of natural products in treatment.