Course Description:
Mankind has long recognized that plants are extremely useful as a source of medicine. Medical traditions based on botanical drug sources can be found in all human cultures and date back to prehistory. In this course, both ancient and modern day botanical traditions across many cultures will be discussed as they pertain to medicine. The pathways through which natural drugs are made by plants and how they affect humans will be the focus of this class. Some examples include botanical drugs for infectious disease, cancer, cardiovascular health, dental health, central nervous system function, and much more. By the end of this course, you will have a solid understanding of the major botanical drugs, including their sources, applications, and cultural relevance. View Syllabus
The Student Experience:
This is a collection of responses written by students on the last day of class when asked to comment on the things that they learned over the semester.
- My understanding of medicinal plants was expanded dramatically to include a cultural sensitivity to human relations with the environment. This will always apply to international research, as ethical dilemmas in ethnobotany are similar to other cross cultural ethical dilemmas. I have also gained knowledge and the ability to think ethically about sustainable plant use and the CAM market in the U.S. My interest in this field has grown and inspires me to continue pursuing knowledge in the sciences.
- I did not know much about the use or importance of plants in medicine. Because almost everything we use is in drug form, it did not occur to me that many of those drugs were derived from plants. Also I did not realize how unsafe herbal supplements could be and that the regulations surrounding their distribution were not as strict. After having taken this class, I am more aware of the products being sold and am more inclined to question their marketable uses and origin. My knowledge about the toxicity/efficacy of plants has greatly increased. I never knew that there was such a fine line between toxicity and therapeuties. Because I plan to go into the medical field I plan on using my knowledge to further my possible research projects in the future and spread the knowledge I have learned to others.
- I had hardly any botanical knowledge (or ethno studies for that matter) coming into this class, so I can say almost everything we learned was a new source of understanding for me. My understanding of how difficult this type of ethno botanical research can be and how quickly the information is being lost is certainly eye-opening. As an environmental studies major (and hopefully future ecologist) I plan to use what I’ve learned and to build on it because of its incredible importance in the natural world. This class was great!
- Prior to this class, I had only taken one true plant-based course that focused on plants and how they have affected human culture (it was very broad in topics). It was through that class that I was exposed to how much our society is dependent upon plants. This class opened my eyes even more to the reliance on botanicals for health. Before this course, I always thought that herbal medicine was a crock and could never be as effective as allopathic medicine (a very common American view). But now I have realized how much that “right” allopathic medicine is based upon herbal medicine and how much more there is to learn about herbal medicine. Thank you, Dr. Quave! It’s been a great learning experience.
- This is probably one of my favorite classes at Emory because it goes beyond normal/generic textbook course material. I definitely have a new awareness/appreciation for plants – especially in the grocery store (my friends can attest). I personally believe that CAM therapy is highly beneficial and would love to safely incorporate it into allopathic medicine. I also want to work specifically with minority health which will definitely blend home remedies with medicine.
