Similarities between various systems of traditional medicine. Considerations for the future of ethnopharmacology.

Traditional medicine using herbal drugs exists in every part of the world. The major areas are Chinese, Indian and European traditions. The philosophies of these traditional medicines have some resemblance to each other but differ widely from modern Western medicine. In view of the progress of Western medicine not only new synthetic drugs but also herbal drugs have to fulfill the international requirements on quality, safety and efficacy. Herbal drugs have the advantage of being available for patients in the geographical area of the special traditional medicine. The development procedure of herbal drugs for world-wide use has to be different from that of synthetic drugs.