Phybiosis is involved in the distribution of medicinal herbs traditionally used in Europe by physicians.
This is no Chinese nor Ayurvedic medicine but true European Phytomedicine
TRADITIONAL PHYTOMEDICINE
It is without any doubt the oldest form of medical substances used throughout the ages by medicine men, and until this century, by traditional physicians, because nothing else was really available. Let us remember these substances, that gave rise to the isolation of specific chemicals, were part of the pharmacopoeia, a concise listing of all herbs and plants used by the medical institution.
MODERN PHARMACOLOGY
Modern pharmacology, which was first able to isolate the phytochemicals from these plants, undertook to reproduce identical synthetic molecules for a more reliable production in addition to higher profits. These industrial standards have created higher concentrations of specific molecules which have finally been recognized as generating numerous undesirable if not toxic side effects.
MODERN PHYTOMEDICINE
Modern phytomedicine, has been reignited first by the French physician Dr. Henri Leclerc, then by Dr. Jean Valnet. This new medical discipline which relies on the same herbs than its former predecessors, is based on two fundamental entities:
Europe has never stopped using pharmaceutical technologies in the production of herbal extracts. All the methods utilized give out different properties
POWDERS
Powder are either used as such, or for the further production of extracts.
COMMON EXTRACTS
Extracts are obtained by dissolving the fresh plant in water, alcohol or ether. Depending on the procedure, the extract can be a solution (simple addition of the herb into a solvent), a maceration (long standing solution in a cold solvent), a digestion (warm solvent), a decoction (boilling solvent), an infusion (solvent brought to a boiling point) or a lixiviation (solvent going rapidly through a powdered herb). The results obtained are either classic extracts such as liquid, soft or dry extracts, or modern extracts such as nebulisates (liquid extracts turned into powder by instant nebulising process), phytols (hydro-glycolic extracts) and phytosols (turbo-extractions of oily digestions).
TINCTURES
Tinctures are specific extracts obtained from the action of ethyl alcohol on powdered herbs. Depending on the procedure involved the tincture can be a solution ( alcohol), a maceration, a digestion, a decoction, or a lixiviation. Due to the presence of alcohol, dosage of such preparations should be much more precise than common extracts.
ALCOHOLATURES
They are in fact tinctures made from fresh herbs instead of powdered herbs
ALCOHOLATES
They are issued from the distillation of tinctures.The result gives us a volatile extract of the herb compared to a complete extract when it comes to a tincture.
INTRACTS
They are actually extracts of stabilised herbs.The stabilsation is carried out by using steam immediately after harvestto stop all fermentation processes responsible for the chemical alteration of certain herbs.
ESSENTIAL OILS
They are issued from the steam distillation of herbs and concern the fat soluble aromatic extracts of the herbs (refer to aromatherapy).
HYDROLATES
They are issued from the steam distillation of herbs and concern the water soluble aromatic extracts of the herbs (refer to aromatherapy).
SYRUPS
These are simple syrups mixed with herbal extracts.
SUSPENSIONS
This is a modern procedure consisting in the preparation of an extract with previously cryogenated fresh herbs to block all enzymatic processes.
MELLITES
Mellites are specific extracts obtained from the action of honey on fresh herbs.
When it comes to herbs, it is quite absurb to talk of toxicity without considering dosage. In general we call toxic herbs those that show toxic levels at very low dosage, and we talk of safe herbs those that show no signs of toxicity at normal dosage. However, we must understand that any toxicity level is dependent on the dosage involved.
Plants normally considered toxic, such as mistletoe for instance (which bears high efficiency levels of hypotensive actions) can only be administered with precise dosage regulations very much like a pharmaceutical drug. It becomes total nonsense therefore, to ingest uncallibrated and unmonitored quantities (as tea for instance) of such herbs.
On the other hand, herbs considered totally safe like chamomile for instance, and which are taken regularly as tea, are liable, after long periods of time, to induce undesired effects.
It becomes obvious that medicinal herbs, part of our everyday life (as with teas and coffee for instance) should not be taken slightly but with a more rational approach consisting in monitoring a little more closely their dosage and their posology.
Updated 09/06/1999