Fitoterapia

Fitoterapia, also known as phytoterapia, is the medical use of plants and plant-derived substances to prevent, treat, or alleviate disease and maintain health. It includes preparations made from whole plants, their parts (leaves, roots, bark), or derived products such as tinctures, infusions, decoctions, standardized extracts, capsules or tablets, and essential oils. The practice draws on traditional systems such as Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, and folk medicine, and is also studied within modern pharmacognosy and integrative medicine.

Historically, plant medicines have formed the basis of many pharmacopoeias. In contemporary practice, phytotherapy is delivered by clinicians, pharmacists, and herbalists in many countries, with varying degrees of regulation. Regulatory regimes may require evidence of quality, safety, and efficacy, or classify herbal products as dietary supplements, medicinal products, or traditional medicines. The evidence base is heterogeneous: certain indications show consistent benefit in limited clinical trials (for example, some herbal preparations for mild gastrointestinal symptoms or sleep disturbances), while for many uses high-quality evidence is lacking or inconclusive. Safety concerns include product contamination, incorrect species identification, herb–drug interactions, and toxicity from certain plants.

In practice, phytotherapy emphasizes standardized preparations and dose finding, quality control, and monitoring for adverse effects. It is typically used as an adjunct to conventional care or for self-care in mild conditions, with caution exercised in pregnancy, lactation, and in people taking medicines.