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Review Article
Applications of Herbal Remedies in Acne Research -
A Brief Review of Mechanisms, and
Approaches to Prevent Acne
Nithya Narayanaswamy & Karappulli * P.Balakrishnan
Herbal MedicineHerbal medicines occupy the distinct position right from the primitive period to the present day. Herbal medicine or herbalism involves the use of plants or parts of plants to treat injuries or illness (Winslow and Kroll, 1998) and also to promote health and healing (Gossell et al., 2006). It is a drug or preparation made from a plant or plants and used for any such purposes. The potency of herbal medicines varies based on the genetic variation of the herbs, exposure of the herbs to air, light and moisture, and type of preservation of the herbs. They are the oldest form of health care known to mankind. The improvements in analysis and quality control along with advances in clinical research show the value of herbal medicine in treating and preventing diseases (FAO, 1990). As late as the early 1950's, many of the larger pharmaceutical companies still offered a broad variety of plant-based drugs in tablet, liquid and ointment forms. Some of the modern trials have also established the utility of herbs in the cosmetic industry.
World health organization reported that 80 % of people worldwide rely on plants for some part of their primary health care. Plant based medicines enjoy a respectable position today, especially in the developing countries. India is one of the leading countries in maintaining the well recorded and well–practiced knowledge of traditional medicine. In developing countries, China has compiled data on over 800 medicinal plants and exports large amounts of herbal drugs. In the developed countries, many herbs and herbal extracts are used as prescription drugs. Among the developed countries, Germany has published individual monographs on therapeutic benefits of more than 300 herbs. The traditional system of medicine gained importance in the developed countries because of the following reasons.
ITC R&D Centre, Peenya Industrial Area, Bangalore 560 058, Karnataka * Corresponding author : E mail: kp.balakrishnan@itc.in