Multiple Uses of Natural Medicines

 I was writing about repurpose drugs suggested to me by a medical doctor earlier here: 

 

https://scientificlogic.blogspot.com/2025/04/repurpose-drugs-used-for-other-purposes.html

 However, in Nature there are several herbs that possess multiple medicinal properties that we may repurpose for treating several illnesses not just for a sole illness. 

Some examples include turmeric, which is known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. Thyme exhibits antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory characteristics. Tulsi (Holy Basil) is celebrated for its ability to protect against various infections and diseases. 

Ashwagandha is used as an adaptogen to help manage stress. Here's a more detailed look at some of these herbs and their properties:

Turmeric is widely known for its powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric also exhibits antimicrobial, anti-tumor, and anti-aging effects. 

Thyme contains high concentrations of carvacrol, thymol, and phenols, making it effective as an antimicrobial, antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory agent. 

Tulsi (Holy Basil) is traditionally used for its protective effects against various infections and diseases affecting the heart, liver, skin, and kidneys. 

Ashwagandha is an adaptogen believed to help the body manage stress, with its roots and berries used in Ayurvedic medicine. 

Other notable herbs are ginger, chamomile, oregano, parsley, rosemary, and lemon balm -  known for their multiple medicinal properties, offering benefits like anti-inflammatory, digestive aid, and antimicrobial effects.

These  are only a very few examples of how many of these medicinal plants can be repurpose for the treatment of multiple illnesses. 

The reason is because herbal or natural sources of medicines are not made of a single specific principle, but are a mixture of several therapeutic ingredients in them though each of them are  very weak in low dosages unlike isolated drugs whose pharmacological action of the  pure isolate are very pure, and specific. 

These natural medicines may be much better for managing chronic cases because of the synergistic actions of all of those principles in them acting together like a family of therapeutic substances in low doses over a longer period of time like a coal fire rather than the sudden burst of a petrol fire as in synthetic drugs - only to die off quickly. 

Having briefly explained this, let me detail further. 

My comparison of herbal medicines to a coal fire, slow-burning, enduring, and synergistic, Soo Mei Ling remarked, is poetic as it is scientifically thoughtful.

 Thank you, Mei Ling, for your kind words I don't deserve.

Let me explore the multifaceted nature of plant-based medicines in contrast with pharmaceutical drugs.  

Many phytomedicines are indeed complex matrices of bioactive compounds, often working together synergistically. This complexity enhances therapeutic breadth (multi-targeted). It reduces the likelihood of resistance development (especially in antimicrobial contexts), and may mitigate side effects due to balancing compounds.

In contrast, synthetic drugs are often highly potent single agents, which may act like a “petrol fire”—quick and effective, but also more likely to cause acute side effects, especially in chronic use.

More Multifunctional Medicinal Plants:

Here are several other medicinal plants that possess multiple pharmacological properties and are often used in various traditional systems like Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), and Western Herbalism:

 Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is an anti-inflammatory, antiemetic, carminative, antioxidant, analgesic, and antimicrobial herb. It is used for nausea, indigestion, arthritis, colds, and muscle pain. The  key compounds in ginger are gingerol, and shogaol

Licorice Root (Glycyrrhiza glabra) is also an anti-inflammatory, antiviral, demulcent (soothing), adrenal tonic, and an expectorant. Licorice root is used for respiratory issues, adrenal fatigue, stomach ulcers, and viral infections. However, prolonged use of licorice root in high doses may raise blood pressure due to glycyrrhizin

Ginseng (Panax ginseng / Panax quinquefolius) acts as an adaptogenic, immunomodulatory, anti-fatigue, cognitive enhancer. Ginseng is used for stress, low energy, immune support, and mental clarity. The key compounds are the ginsenosides

Neem (Azadirachta indica) has antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory properties, and is used for skin conditions, infections, diabetes, and oral health The  key compounds in neem are nimbin, and azadirachtin

Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica), pegaga or Indian pennywort Pegaga is neuroprotective, has wound healing properties. It also has anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory, memory-enhancing effects. It is used for varicose veins, cognitive decline, stress, skin regeneration. The active principles in Centella asiatica are asiaticoside, and  madecassoside

Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum) is hepatoprotective, antioxidant, anti-fibrotic, and detoxifying. It is used for liver disorders, detox support, diabetes, and skin diseases. The key compounds in milk thistle are the Silymarin complex

Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) (used in TCM).

This mushroom has immunomodulatory, anti-tumor, adaptogenic, anti-inflammatory properties. It is used for cancer support, immune boosting, sleep,  and longevity. The key compounds in reishi mushroom are the triterpenes, and polysaccharides

Cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum / cassia) is used as an antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant. It is used for blood sugar control, infections, and digestive support. Its key compounds lie in cinnamaldehyde, and eugenol

Moringa (Moringa oleifera) is nutrient-dense that also acts as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial. It is used in malnutrition, inflammation, diabetes, infections. The key compounds in moringa are quercetin, chlorogenic acid, and isothiocyanates

Peppermint (Mentha piperita) is used as a  medicine as  an antispasmodic, carminative, antimicrobial, and analgesic. It is used for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), headaches, nausea, and colds. The key principles inside peppermint are menthol and menthone. 

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Approach:

TCM rarely uses herbs in isolation. Instead, it uses formulas, combinations of herbs designed to enhance efficacy, balance warming and cooling actions, minimize side effects. TCM tailor treatment to the individual's constitution and syndrome diagnosis

Examples of famous multi-herb TCM formulas:

1. Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill) – kidney yin deficiency

2. Yin Qiao San – early-stage colds and flu
3. Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang – strengthens qi and raises yang

 Synergy Over Specificity

In TCM they look into synergy rather than single-target potency like pure drugs. This approach aligns  with current research trends in network pharmacology, an emerging field that studies multi-compound, multi-target interactions, especially relevant to natural medicine. Herbal medicine may, in fact, offer better long-term management for chronic, multifactorial diseases like, autoimmune conditions, neurodegenerative disorders, cardiovascular diseases and metabolic syndromes

They work by modulating multiple biological pathways, gently nudging the body toward homeostasis rather than forcing a specific outcome.

Modern pharmacological studies validate their traditional uses?

 The problem is, pharmaceutical companies are not interested in natural medicines because they are naturally occurring compounds, and are free for anyone. They can't patent a natural compound. I think they would rather search for the most bioactive compound(s) in a plant, isolate and synthesize them and patent the isolate to make huge profits out of Nature. 

However, this said there are also advantages of single isolates in that they can be very fast acting especially in an acute illness and in a medical emergency. We can't depend on a mixture of slow acting compounds. Unfortunately most of the cases we see today are chronic lifestyle diseases that do not warrant emergency drugs. I think doctors need to practise integrative medicine that combines the best therapeutic modalities from each system rather than depend solely on pharmaceuticals in isolation that does not cure anything permanently if the root causes are not addressed. 

As doctors ourselves, we need to speak with the wisdom of a true healer, philosopher, and steward of life. Our clarity of thought and depth of compassion for human well-being need to shine through every line. This would not only be thought-provoking, but also profoundly true, and increasingly recognized by progressive thinkers in both scientific and clinical circles.

On Patents and Profits

Natural compounds, being gifts of the Earth, cannot be patented in their raw form, which makes them commercially unattractive to large pharmaceutical companies. Instead, the industry often identifies a single "active" compound (e.g., curcumin from turmeric). They then synthesizes it, modifying it (often slightly to create a “novel” molecule).

Then they patent the new version to control its use and generate profit.

While this process can be beneficial, leading to well-characterized, stable, and fast-acting drugs, it ignores the beauty of the whole plant, whose multiple constituents may enhance each other’s effects, reduce side effects, and modulate metabolism in a balanced way.

Nature creates synergy; industry often seeks exclusivity.

Acute vs Chronic: A Necessary Duality

 Single-compound isolates are crucial in emergencies such as, antibiotics, anesthetics, anticoagulants, vasopressors. They act quickly, precisely, and often save lives in acute, life-threatening situations.

But today, we face an epidemic of chronic diseases - diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, autoimmune disorders, cancer, mental health disorders just to name a few. 

These do not respond well to “one-pill fixes.” They are multifactorial, requiring long-term care, lifestyle correction, stress management, and yes, natural, slow-burn healing like the beautiful metaphor of the coal fire.

 Integrative Medicine: The Way Forward

Today chronic ills need to be managed holistically:

"Doctors need to practice integrative medicine that combines the best therapeutic modalities from each system."

This is the future of medicine:

Using allopathic drugs when speed and precision are essential

Integrating Ayurveda, TCM, naturopathy, and functional medicine for holistic, root-cause healing

Including nutrition, exercise, sleep hygiene, mental health, and social connection as therapeutic tools

This way, the physician becomes not just a prescriber of drugs, but a custodian of the patient’s terrain, the inner ecosystem of health.

 A Harmonized Analogy. Let me offer you a simple image:

1. Modern medicine is like a sharp scalpel, precise and fast-acting.

2. Natural medicine is like a wise gardener, tending the soil slowly, persistently, restoring harmony.

3. But to heal a human being, we often need both the surgeon and the gardener, side by side.

Global Movements We May Appreciate: 

Many forward-thinking institutions are now advocating for this integrative approach:

1. Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine (USA)

2. Mayo Clinic’s Integrative Medicine Department

3. Traditional Chinese and Indian hospitals that integrate Western diagnostics with herbal and dietary therapies

4. NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH)

And there’s growing clinical research validating herbal combinations, not just single isolates.

Doctors' hearts need to beat with the rhythm of ancient wisdom and our minds need to soar with the clarity of modern science. We need the kind of physician the world needs, one who understands that healing is not just curing, but restoring harmony within the body, mind, and spirit.

Physicians need to design a simple integrative protocol for a common chronic disease (e.g., diabetes or hypertension), review clinical studies on herbal combinations for chronic illness, and explore the philosophy of healing in Ayurveda, TCM, or traditional Malay medicine.