Root of the matter: Inside modern herbal health

If you take supplements, use botanical skincare or keep herbal remedies in your cupboard, you’re already engaging with plant medicine – and probably assuming “herbal” means natural.

In reality, it doesn’t tell you much about what’s inside the product, how it was made or how those plant compounds impact the body. Two capsules can list the same herb and deliver totally different outcomes depending on dosage, extraction methods, formulation and quality control.

Modern herbal products sit at an interesting crossroads. They draw from centuries of traditional use but they’re manufactured using contemporary pharmaceutical processes. These days, herbs appear everywhere: in capsules and tablets for convenience and consistency, liquid extracts that allow for easier absorption and flexible dosing, traditional teas and infusions with variable strength and topical creams designed for skin concerns. Each format delivers plant compounds differently – and none of them are passive additions.

Certain herbs crop up over and over in health-focused blends, for good reason – many have a base of tradition and a growing body of scientific investigation. Turmeric is commonly used for joint support and inflammation, echinacea for immune-related support and ashwagandha for stress, sleep and energy. St John’s wort has a long history in mood support, ginkgo is linked with circulation and cognition and St Mary’s thistle (milk thistle) often appears in liver-support formulas.

From alternative to everyday

Today, more people are thinking in terms of preventative health and want options that feel holistic and supportive. According to the 2024 Industry Snapshot from Complementary Medicines Australia, more than 75 per cent of households turn to complementary medicines, while Australians spend roughly $3.8 billion on natural therapy practitioners. The data shows just how integrated these approaches have become in everyday wellbeing.

Research into herbal ingredients and botanical compounds continues to expand, helping clarify how some herbs interact with human biology and when they might be most useful. Still, not every product on the shelf is backed by strong evidence, or every claim holds up under scrutiny. Knowing when quality matters – and when context matters more – makes all the difference.

What quality control looks like

Understanding how herbal ingredients are sourced, processed and regulated – and how they’re affecting your insides – is what separates informed use from guesswork. In Australia, herbal products must be manufactured under strict standards. Products are made under Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) and meet the requirements set by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). Manufacturers must source the correct raw materials, confirm botanical identity, assess sustainability and meet strict quality requirements before extraction even begins.

From there, active compounds are carefully extracted, standardised and tested to ensure consistency, safety and accurate dosing. Every stage is controlled and meticulous, helping ensure what’s listed on the label matches what’s inside the bottle – and that you’re getting the therapeutic benefits they promise.

Herbs aren’t harmless just because they’re plants

It’s easy to assume “natural” equals gentle and safe. But herbal medicines can be powerful. They contain compounds that act directly in the body – and they can interact with medications or cause side effects you wouldn’t expect.

Which is why it’s worth pausing before taking advice from someone online who swears by a single herb for everything. Self-prescribing is a bit like servicing your own car. You might change the oil successfully, but without proper knowledge you could miss something important under the hood.

That’s where qualified guidance comes in. A trained herbalist, naturopath or integrative clinician looks at your health history, lifestyle, medications and goals, then tailors recommendations using both traditional knowledge and current evidence.

From curiosity to clinical practice

For those interested in taking their understanding further, formal training in Western herbal medicine goes far beyond learning individual plants. At Torrens University Australia, you’ll cover everything from botany and materia medica (Latin for “medical material”) through to manufacturing processes, safety and clinical application. You’ll learn how herbs are formulated commercially as well as prescribed individually, before working with clients under supervision in clinic.

Herbal ingredients aren’t a magic fix. But when chosen thoughtfully and used with awareness, they can sit comfortably alongside nutrition, lifestyle and conventional care as part of a broader approach to wellbeing.