"The oldest 'prescriptions,' found on Babylonian clay tablets, and the hieratic (priestly) writing of ancient Egypt on papyrus is numerous ancient pharmaceutical and medical uses of hundreds of botanicals and foods (eg, olive oil, wine, turpentine, myrrh, opium, castor oil, garlic)."

Herbal medicine is one of the oldest forms of healthcare

"This worldwide botanical cornucopia represents an eclectic collection of the most reliable early medicines that even today serve the ills of the world. The World Health Organization records the fact that 80% of the world's population still relies on botanical medicines.

"Several phytomedicines have advanced to widespread use in modem times and are familiar to all. These include morphine and related derivatives (from opium), colchicine (ftom Autumn crocus), cocaine (from Coca), digitoxin (from Foxglove), vincristine and vinblastine (from the Vinca plant), reserpine (from Indian Snakeroot), etoposide (from Mayapple), and taxol (from Yew).

"Many botanicals remain to be reevaluated as continued folkloric use around the world entices researchers to further scientific study.

"History and science have shown repeatedly that almost all things are cyclical. Once again, we find ourselves in an era of resurgent interest in natural products as medicine.

"Ethnobotany, rain forest depletion of species, and certain limits in advancement using synthetic drugs continuously teach us that nature has and will always provide us with clues on how to develop new medicines."