Drug (herbal)

Drugs describe the dried plants or plant parts that have been used to cure diseases since ancient times. Drying it preserves the plant and thus it can be stored. Depending on the plant part in a drug, however, it contains a more or less high moisture (max. 12%). This is sufficient but not sufficient for the formation and propagation of fungi and other micro organisms, so that drug can be stored in dry, well ventilated areas for several months or even years. The storage time should not exceed two years, because with contact to atmospheric oxygen, changes in the appearance and the ingredients are to be expected. According to the definition of the Pharmacopoeia, today the term "drug" is understood to include both the fresh and the dried plant or plant part. In English usage, the term drug (in the translation of "drug") has a broader meaning and refers to all drugs and medicines, be they plant or chemical origin. Via this route the German term drug has also changed over time and now refers to the "intoxication drug", regardless of whether it is vegetable or synthetic of origin (hashish, cocaine, heroin, LSD). To clarify the distinction between the herbal products (drug) and the synthetic-chemical drugs, therefore, the term "herbal drug" is now widely used in professional circles. The "tea-drug" refers to when a drug is provided to prepare a tea infusion.