Complementary Therapies Seminar Day at Kew Gardens

This seminar day showcases some of Kew’s research into medicines derived from plants and highlights the significance of international biodiversity conventions for complementary therapists using natural products.

Stall selling plant materials used as traditional Chinese remedies

Course details

Plants play an important role in many complementary therapies and traditional medicinal systems, as well as being the source or chemical template for important drugs used to treat a range of conditions. This seminar day highlights some of Kew’s research into medicinal plants and the biologically active chemicals that they contain. It also outlines the significance of international biodiversity conventions for many complementary therapists.

Course date: 18 March 2013
Course venue: Jodrell Laboratory, Kew Gardens
Cost: £10 per student

Who is the course designed for?

Undergraduate and postgraduate students on complementary therapy courses.

Course content

The role of the herbarium: emphasising the importance of correctly identified and classified plant reference specimens for all natural product research and therapies.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD): these international biodiversity conventions provide a framework for the conservation and sustainable use of wild plants and animals. The work of Kew’s Conventions and Policy Team supports their implementation in the UK.
Importance of authentication in Chinese medicinal herbs: Kew’s reference collection of Chinese herbs, from raw materials to finished products, provides a vital resource for the accurate identification of herbal products, supporting safe practice for medical herbalists.
Work of the Sustainable Uses group of the Jodrell Laboratory: covering some of Kew’s projects relating to useful plants. These include such projects as Ethnomedica which focuses on plant remedies traditionally used in the UK.