Pharmaceutical and Herbal Medicine
an essay about why herbal medicines and remedies are the backbone of healing from any disease
JUN 25, 2024
The practice of using medicinal herbs or herbal medicine has not yet been forgotten, even though these practices do not grant profit for larger pharmaceutical companies. Often, it seems when there are multiple ways of healing, it might be that this necessity of healing should be derived from the spiritual, or something supernatural, an intuitive response out of the individual. While herbal medicines can certainly aid in achieving such a level of healing, one might find much deeper roots that need mending only after experimenting in external healing remedies, the same can be said for pharmaceutical healing. However, the benefits from using herbal medicines to treat certain things like mental illnesses, cancers and sicknesses, have in some cases, shown to be much greater than if they were compared to that of pharmaceutical drugs and medicines. Obviously, there are certain drugs that are “necessary” in today’s day and age as viruses, bacteria and diseases that have plagued our race aren’t always simply cured by drinking herbal tea, as is the case for many people today. Even so, there are still so many other ways that many diseases and illnesses can be cured with simple remedies and herbal medicines that are much healthier for the human body. This is not an attempt to debunk any genuine scientific research. I merely beg you to ponder how communities and civilizations past were able to heal.
Herbal remedies and medicines should have an equal place within the medical field and should be a legit option as medicine or treatment for everyone. Likewise, such medicines should be accounted to first option protocol before moving to pharmaceutical drugs and other treatments that have a chemical make-up. Some side effects of pharmaceutical drugs can affect certain people on drastic levels, and in many cases tend to make the illness worse than it was beforehand. Mental illnesses can be treated with many different types of medicines ranging from anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medications, mood-stabilizers and antipsychotics, just to name a few categories. Some side effects that people tend to experience while taking medications for mental illnesses include nausea, increased appetite/weight gain or decreased appetite/weight loss, constipation or diarrhea, loss of sexual desire and other sexual problems like infertility, fatigue, drowsiness, dizziness, restlessness, insomnia, dry mouth, blurred vision, headaches, joint and muscle pain/aching/weakness, skin rash, temporary hair loss, etc. The list is vast. The other, and quite possibly longer list, makes up the different types of medications we have created amidst this game of boxes and labels. Often, most of the side effects are not proposed with them, nor do they seem to really be taken into that much consideration. These drugs do not usually offer a “cure” to the illness at hand, rather it is more of a temporary pause on certain feelings so that a person might learn to escape depressive or anxious thought patterns for the time being. Many times, endgames are futile (circumstance varies), so patients tend to feel obligated to take the medication for years on end, and even for their entire life.
Obviously, taking pharmaceutical drugs is obviously not the only option, neither is religion or philosophy, though it certainly can be for some. Further, the realm of psychedelics and what they can do for certain people with mental illnesses has finally made its way back to the drawing board. Psychedelics have the power to actually cure certain mental illnesses like depression and anxiety, as there have been many case studies and individual experiences to prove so. The psychedelic industry initially took off during the 60s and 70s which is widely known as era that birthed the hippie culture, and is commonly associated with psychedelic-like aesthetics. There was a much greater usage of psychedelic drugs recreationally across a large span of people almost all over the world. Psychedelic drugs were also being tested within the medical field as possible drugs of warfare, as well as tests that were conducted simply out of curiosity. After much experimentation, these studies were regulated, widely shut down and soon put to rest. However, this was not the beginning of psychedelic culture. Native groups from all over the world have been experimenting with certain groups of psychedelic plants and fungi for a many millennia. They have been included in rituals and rites, important ceremonies and healing processes, documented throughout time, as mycelium has been present since the dawn of humanity.
What could be happening in present time, and what will hopefully happen in the near future is the genuine use of psilocybin or “magic mushrooms” for treatment towards certain mental illnesses or disturbances. A psilocybin therapy session would look something like this: a dimly lit room with comfortable furniture and art decorating the walls, specially designed to evoke a sense of comfort and ease. The patient would sit or lie on a couch with headphones on, listening to calming music. A couple members of a research team would also be present to help guide the course of the experience, having most of that time be in quite introspection. To an outsider’s viewpoint, this would seem standard and normal considering the circumstances, but within the mind of the patient, their thoughts are powerfully activated by psilocybin. Even though this is much less potent than LSD (another type of psychedelic drug), it is very capable of altering the perception of space and time and causes feelings of euphoria, visual distortions and mystical experiences as such. The research that has been conducted on psilocybin has shown its potential to treat a wide range of psychiatric behaviors and disorders including depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder or anxiety related issues, cluster headaches, cancer-related/end-of-life psychological distress, PTSD and issues related to addiction like smoking, alcohol addiction or cocaine. There have also been so many personal cases concerning the recreational use of various psychedelic drugs observing mystical abruptions, consciousness expansion and even “magically” healed people of their cancers and illnesses. However, psilocybin mushrooms remain as a Schedule I drug and have no current accepted medical use and have a high potential for abuse, making it quite impossible that the FDA would approve it for legal use of any kind according to Healthline. Other drugs of this classification include marijuana, MDMA and LSD, despite the benefits that each one of thesecan have for certain people. Not to mention that psychoactive drugs are also not chemically addictive by any means, they can just result in dangerous decision making if a person is irresponsible. Despite the legalities and other social stigmas; scientists, doctors and researchers are still pushing for clinical trials to be FDA approved. Further, there are current studies and trials of using Ketamine (and possibly other drugs) in therapy sessions for qualified subjects in certain parts of the world.
It seems more logical that there would be a desire to pharm things from the earth instead of factories, as humans are a combination of organic material. When considering mushrooms, not just psychedelic, but mushrooms in general, and the benefits that they can have for the human body, the outcomes are almost magical. Most of the research that has been conducted with medicinal mushrooms includes maitake, reishi, coriolis, shiitake, lion’s mane, and agaricus mushrooms. The bioactive compounds that are derived from these certain mushrooms have been developed as anticancer treatments because they elicit anti-tumor, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, antiviral, antibacterial, and protective effects. Studies have found that the consumption of mushrooms can also improve survival and quality of life in cancer patients. Mushrooms are not only beneficial for cancer patients, they are also great sources of B vitamins, antioxidants and fiber for any person who takes them. Supplemental forms that these mushrooms can be found in include tablets, capsules, teas and liquid extracts. A well-known doctor, Doctor Alfredo Bowman or Dr. Sebi, a Honduran herbalist and self-proclaimed healer, was able to compile many beneficial resources to help people learn how to transform their body in a completely natural way. His research and findings about what herbal supplements and ways of dieting that work best for certain people was truly revolutionary. It was also thought that he was able to conjure a completely natural cure for HIV and AIDS, but he did not receive the credit he deserved, rather he faced a lawsuit and had to go to court over reasons that never matched up to his case. These natural substances have the power to revolutionize the medical industry and transform the health of mass numbers of people.
Even though the amount of very promising research continues to pile, there is truly no realistic timeline for when, or if, psilocybin will ever be approved by the FDA. Obviously, the drug would never be legally allowed to be sold anywhere, it would most likely just be administered to specialists, as the world might change quite drastically if everyone was running around tripping on shrooms, as seen in places of the world that are ungoverned. Also, psychoactive drugs can trigger psychosis or manic episodes in people who are vulnerable to weak mindsets, and they can also induce what is called a “bad trip,” or just a negative experience, which can cause a person to act quite erratically. Some theorize that this is important for any individual to experience as well; further, the mycelium itself may be trying to communicate its intelligence and strength for said individual to get through a specific issue or hardship in life. However, psilocybin therapy is not like taking shrooms at a party, it is a means to help those who need it in a very controlled environment so nothing unexpected happens. There are always risks, but there are risks with virtually any decision that is made, including those of taking prescription drugs, as mentioned previously. This is not a new scenario. In the growing periods that society is in right now, it seems that it would be quite impossible for this to not develop into something that can be used in a beneficial way for more people: truths are beginning to show themselves and there is no denying that these psychoactive drugs are certainly one of them.
Living a healthy lifestyle is important for everyone, and we all have different modes of practicing healing. One might find that certain pharmaceutical drugs work with some things and herbal remedies for others. One might find that therapy and talking through their troubles is all they need. One might be completely opposed to modern medicine or one might despise all that is herbal medicine, and that is okay too. In all, there is a progressive rise amidst ideas of healing in general, as more people realize the benefits of herbal medicines and psychedelics and other spiritual means of healing like meditation, reiki, or sound frequencies. It is comforting to know that some people do see the corruption within the pharmaceutical industry, societal expectations and the strange normality to follow closed minded and ignorant people. As these current affairs become more troubling to those who have awakened themselves to the other side of the spectrum, we remember: tunnel vision is deadly. Balance is key.
Sources used for Research:
Mammoser, Gigen. “Medical Benefits of Magic Mushrooms.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 12Feb. 2019, www.healthline.com/health-news/benefits-of-medical-mushrooms.
“Safety of Medicinal Mushrooms in Patients With Cancer.” ONS Voice, 6 Nov. 2020,
https://voice.ons.org/news-and-views/safety-of-medicinal-mushrooms-in-patients-with-cancer.
Sebi, Dr. “Dr. Sebi Cell Food Official: Dr. Sebi Is a Renowned Natural Healer.” Dr Sebi’s CellFood, 1 Nov. 2020, https://drsebiscellfood.com/.
“Side Effects of Drugs, Medical Devices & High-Risk Medical Conditions.” Drugwatch.com, 20Apr. 2020, www.drugwatch.com/side-effects/.
