Five key mechanisms dynamically influence the vitalistic-energetic therapeutics of medicinal and aromatic plants: their antioxidant, antimutagenic and neuroprotective activities (TCM Water); the hormetic and immunogenetic properties of their secondary metabolites (TCM Wood); their sensory and hedonic effects (Metal); their neuromodulating and mood-enhancing actions (Earth); and their psycho-alchemical virtues (Fire).

Key examples of the theoretical parallel between scientific pharmacology and botanical energetics can be seen in the way in which the wide-ranging anti-inflammatory activities of herbs and essential oils mirrors vitalistically their capacity to clear pathogenic Heat and preserve the Yin according to TCM, while their pharmacologically demonstrable ability to protect DNA from mutagenesis reflects their ability to preserve the Essence — a fundamental bioenergetic influence accurately predicted by Paraclesus some five centuries ago.

In this presentation, ‘Pharmacological insights into energetic botanical therapeutics’, Gabriel Mojay will systematically elucidate and illustrate through research evidence how these mechanisms work to deliver pharmaco-energetic activities on cells and viscera that are arguably unique to medicinal plants.

While better understanding these mechanisms has value in its own right, Gabriel will show how their application in clinical situations and through indicated herbal-aromatic formulae fully realizes the full vitalistic-energetic potential of medicinal plants, expressed through these very co-evolutionary mechanisms. We will reflect in particular on their antimutagenic and neuroprotective, i.e. consciousness preserving, effects.

Finally, Gabriel will make use of explanatory diagrams based on traditional energetic systems, most especially that of the TCM Theory of the Five Elements, to bring to life these