Utilization Methods and Practices of Herbal Medicine in Africa

A comprehensive healthcare system, African traditional medicine is divided into three degrees of specialization: divination, spiritualism, and herbalism. The traditional healer offers medical treatments in accordance with the predominant cultural and religious ideas, knowledge, and attitudes in his society. The belief that illness has both natural and supernatural origins necessitates its treatment via both physical and spiritual methods, including divination, incantations, animal sacrifice, exorcism, and the use of herbs and other natural remedies. The use of herbal medicines involves integrating a number of therapeutic techniques from indigenous medical systems that may date back many generations. This integration frequently yields helpful instructions for the choice, preparation, and application of herbal formulations for the treatment, control, and management of a wide range of illnesses. Herbal medicine has been used in Africa since ancient times and is being used now via divination, interviews, medical reports, and viewpoints from both the spiritual and physical realms. Despite the current improvements in mainstream medicine, the use of herbal medicines for basic healthcare needs in Africa is still on the rise significantly. The African Perspective of Illness and Disease, Herbal Medicine in Africa, Clinical Practice of African Traditional Medicine, Some Traits in Herbal Medicine Practices from Selected African Countries, Factors Responsible for Increased Usage of Herbal Medicine in Africa, Adverse Effects of Herbal Medicine, Influence of Regulatory Policies in Safety of Herbal Medicine, Challenges of Monitoring Safety of Herbal Medicines are discussed in this chapter.