Baky Othman
Thesis Abstract Double Major: Anthropology and Biology 03/02/2023
"Health" has been defined as “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” The health care industry in the United States has become dominated by pharmaceutical medication with a complete lack of understanding of alternative medicine options. Alternative medicine provides some people in developing countries a sense of comfort due to the lack of available pharmaceutical drugs. However, what if people are taking these medicines and they aren’t helping? Some people believe it helps while others do not. This research reviews the impurities in these medications as well as the benefits and side effects. It looks at medicinal plants from three countries Egypt, America, and Fiji, reviews their impurities and explores cultural reasons why people continue to take herbal medicines when they have impurities while other better medicines are available.