Journal of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences
(ISSN: 2659 – 0743)
Volume 7, No. 2, 2025
Pages 379-397
DOI: 10.36108/jvbs/5202.70.0221
Distinguishing Traditional Medicine, Complementary and Alternative Medicine and Conventional Medicine: A Review
Frank C. Okeke
Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, University of Abuja, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
The healing practice is as old as man. All medical systems could be placed in three categories namely- Traditional medicine (TM), Complementary and Alternative medicine (CAM) and Con-ventional medicine. While Traditional medicine may have been in existence from the creation of man, a few CAM systems may have been developed about a few thousand years ago. The most re-cent of these medical systems is the Conventional medicine which began to take shape from the 18th century. These medical systems all have same aim: to heal the sick, restore the deranged health to order, and prevent ill-health. However, the objectives, philosophies and modus operandi of these systems vary considerably. In the traditional or ethno-medicine there are as many variations as there are ethnic groupings on earth. Traditional practitioners operate in two domains- the natural domain and the supernatural domain. Probably all traditional practices affirm the supernatural basis of health disorders and consequently of the appropriate restorative procedures. TM oper-ations in the supernatural realm are often enmeshed in mysticism, occultism, inexplicable rites and rituals. For their operation in the natural domain, traditional medicine practitioners (TMPs) procure raw materials from the environment (herbs, roots, stem-bark, water, clays, etc.). CAM systems comprise alternative medical systems and complementary medical systems and therapies. Ayurveda and Acupuncture are perhaps the oldest CAM systems. Until recently they were tradi-tional medicines. In most CAM practices there is the underlying principle of the life force which controls the human body in health and ill-health. Conventional medicine came in to full application with the development and improved understanding of the microscope, microorganisms, antibiotics and public health. Differentiation of these systems was done using the following criteria: origin of system, objectives of treatment, concept of health and disease, nature of remedial substances, accessibility of knowledge, areas of specialization and additional inputs peculiar to each system.
Keywords: Traditional medicine, Complementary and alternative, Modern medicine.