Calendula officinalis (Marigold), Chamomilla recutita (German Chamomile), Lavandula officinalis (Lavender), Plantago lanceolata (Ribwort Plantain), Stellaria media (Chickweed)

Herbal Medicine is a system of health care that uses whole plant extracts as medicine. Herbalism is the oldest known system of medicine and is still the primary form of healthcare for more than 75% of the world's population. Nowadays, there is an enormous quantity of scientific research and information about Herbal Medicine. This information assists Herbalists to use traditional remedies with even greater safety and knowledge of how the herbs act to restore health.

Herbal medicine is the forerunner of modern orthodox medicine. Many chemical drugs were originally derived or based on compounds found in plants. For example, Willow bark is used in Herbal Medicine for treating conditions that require pain relief and anti-inflammatory actions. The idea for aspirin came from compounds called salicylates found in Willow Bark. Heart drugs are still derived from Foxglove, more than 200 years after herbalists discovered their actions.

A major difference is in the form of medicines used. While orthodox medicine relies on drugs made of concentrated pure chemicals, Herbalists use the crude plant material. Herbal medicines are prepared solely from the leaves, bark, roots, resin, gum and oil of plant species. Herbalists appreciate the importance of the active chemicals in plants, but believe that other less active components of the plant are essential in producing a medicine that is easily absorbed, utilised and excreted by the human body. Medical Herbalism considers that the biological complexity of humans is ideally matched by treatment with remedies of biological complexity - plants! Herbalists are primarily concerned with establishing and eradicating the cause of ill health through holistic treatment of the individual. Treatment centres on the patient as well as the disease and factors such as diet, lifestyle and emotional well being are considered along with physical symptoms.Herbalists believe that we all have an innate ability to heal ourselves. Herbal medicines are used to restore and support the body's own defensive and restorative mechanisms, boosting vital energy and self-healing potential.

Napiers Dispensary was established in 1860 and has provided herbal products for many generations of people in Scotland. Napiers now has the largest team of herbal practioners in the UK and is a recognised authority on herbal medicine across the world.
Napiers has a team of professionally qualified practitioners from a wide range of complementary therapies providing the highest standard of health care.
Established in 1860 by Duncan Napiers, the Herbal Shop and Clinic at Bristo Place in Edinburgh is Scotland's oldest and only remaining Herbal House. Duncan Napiers was a member of the then Pharmaceutical Society and a well-respected Victorian botanist. In the early days the shop was only open in the evenings, but its fame soon spread and with the exception of the Sabbath, the shop was open every day.
When Duncan Napier passed away in his ninety-first year, the shop was taken over by his son, Duncan S Napiers, a qualified chemist. The business remained very much a family firm and was passed down from father to son. The last family member to carry on the practice was John Napier who was a Member of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists and took the company through the complex process of getting product license status for many of the medicines and developed the good manufacturing procedures that are in place today.
In 1990 Dee Atkinson took over Napiers Dispensary. Since John Napier died in the late 1970's the Shop and Clinic had stood still in time and many of the remedies were no longer manufactured. Over the past few years Napiers have re-established Napiers reputation at the forefront of Medical Herbalism and are firmly committed to training and research in this field. Napiers offer a complete health service to their patients. As well as the Herbal Dispensaries they run multi-disciplinary clinics with registered practitioners in a number of disciplines: Acupuncture, Alexander Technique, Aromatherapy, Homoeopathy, Osteopathy, Reflexology, Shiatsu and Psychotherapy. Napiers are committed to running clinics for those on low incomes and facilities are available at both of their branches in Edinburgh.

Company Statement
Herbal Medicine is the treatment and prevention of disease through the use of plant medicines. At Napiers Dispensary we believe in Herbal Medicine as part of a complementary approach to total health care.
Our objectives are:
-To provide a professional and caring environment for the practice and supply of herbal medicine under the supervision of qualified Medical Herbalist
-To increase public awareness of the benefits of herbal medicine and to improve community access to complementary health care.
-To facilitate the training of Medical Herbalists by supporting and encouraging staff to study accredited training courses, whilst gaining retail and management experience.
-To set the highest standards for dispensing herbal medicines and manufacturing unlicensed herbal remedies.
-To research and implement an ethical and sustainable policy for Napiers taking into account the environmental, social and economic context of all of Napiers activities.