Abstract

Said Shalaby, Mona Abdelkader Awad and Devendra Kumar Awasthi*

ABSTRACT

Traditional medicine is defined as ?the sum total of knowledge, skills and practices based on the theories, beliefs and experiences indigenous to different cultures that are used to maintain health, as well as to prevent, diagnose, improve or treat physical and mental illnesses?. Some examples of traditional medicine include Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic medicine homeopathy, Kampo medicine and Naturopathy. ?Alternative medicine? refers to medical treatments that are neither part of a country’s traditions nor its primary healthcare system. Others refer to alternative medicine as an ?integrative? or ?complementary? system since some countries use traditional and alternative medicine interchangeably. We have many examples of alternative medicine; including Acupuncture, Chiropractic medicine, herbal Medicine and Energy therapies. Ancient Egyptian medicine included medicinal plants, therapeutic nutrition, surgical and dental interference. Education of traditional Medicine includes health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, applied singularly or in combination to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses or maintain well-being. Emphasis is placed on the need for traditional medicine to be evaluated, given due recognition and developed so as to improve its efficacy, safety, availability, and wider application at low cost. Research must continue worldwide to identify and improve the efficacy of the active principals of herbs both singly and in combination – from active ingredients, active fractions, and active herbal formulations. The use and practice of traditional, complementary and/or integrative medicine (TCIM) raises significant questions, poses many challenges and holds much potential for the broad fields of public health and health services research.