Herbal Medicine Dosage Standardisation

Abstract

The standardisation of herbal medicine dosages presents a formidable challenge, given the vast diversity of plant species and the inherent variability in their bioactive compounds. This paper explores the historical development of standardised dosages in Western herbal medicine, highlighting the contributions of Eclectic physicians, the role of the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia of 1983, and the influence of prominent figures such as Scudder and Lloyd. The paper also highlights the progress made by China and India to establish universal dosage guidelines. However, for African Traditional Medicine, determining herbal medicine dosages remains a challenge primarily due to the extensive array of indigenous healing practices, limited resources for clinical research, and the absence of well-documented traditional medical knowledge. To address this challenge, a comprehensive strategy is proposed that encourages collaboration between traditional healers and scientists, ethnopharmacological and ethnobotanical research, and supports culturally sensitive clinical trials. This holistic approach emphasises the fusion of age-old wisdom with cutting-edge science to ensure the safety and efficacy of herbal medicine, as well as bridge the global gap in herbal medicine dosages while respecting diverse indigenous healing traditions.