Abstract
Purpose : The study was to identify the general characteristics of herbal healers in the north-eastern of Thailand and the many types of herbal which were use by herbal healers who treat patients and observed a sign of diseases or symptoms of diseases.
Methods : The study was designed to be a descriptive survey. The sample consists of 43 herbal healers with more than 10 years experience from 13 provinces in the north-eastern of Thailand. In depth an interview were used to collecting data and was substantiated through observations.
Results : It was found that the herbal healers incomes based on treating diseases with herbs. The healers were allocated into one of four categories : amateur, semi-professional, professional, and expert. Herbal healers were able to treat 33types of disease or symptoms using one or more of 99 active formulas. Herbal healers apply two concepts for the treatment of diseases to :
1.To stimulate or suppress human physiological response mechanisms such as vomiting, laxative, cathartic concretions in sweat, diuretic and pustules, This concept was based on the belief that these responses were to eliminate toxins and to drive out toxins, or to absorb toxins form out of the body. The many conditions that were treated by methods. To apply this concept, for example, dog bite (by both a rabid and non-rabid dog).
2.To treat the symptoms and to cure illness and disease. Under this concept the herbal healer had no expectations concerning the physiological response to the herbal medicine. The same as the concept one, the patients had those signs and system that they would treat it as complication. There were many symptoms and diseases that the herbal healers treating to use this concept, for example, herbal medicine code Pharm.001 was used to treat CA liver, AIDS, etc.
Conclusion : The formulas of herbal medicine were found in this study can not be used to represent all the herbal remedies which were found in the north-eastern of Thailand. However, the concept was used in the treatment of disease by professional and expert herbal healers. It is consistent through out the region
