Phytotherapy and apitherapy in attention of the present day teacher of biology

Abstract

The role of medicinal plants and apicultural products (honey, pollen, royal jelly, propolis) for the cure of various disorders it has been known since ancient times. In our days, alongside of other biotherapies, phytotherapy and apitherapy are maintaining their importance. In comparison with chemotherapeutical drugs, which can lead to habituation or cause another disorder, phytotherapy and apitherapy constitute natural remedies for treatment, with no adverse or harmful secondary effects, and which do not involve habituation. The analysis of the existing content of the optional discipline “Education for health”, elaborated for 1st to 12th grades shows that there are not included themes related to the use of medicinal plants and apicultural products for therapy. In this context, we consider that for promoting health and imprinting a healthy life style is needed to inform the pupils about the existence of possibilities for curing disorders, others than those offered by the modern medicine. The aim of this paper is to show how the biology teacher can transmit primary knowledge of phytotherapy and apitherapy within the school activities, during the 9th grade, in the same time with notions of angiosperms plants, during the 11th grade, and primary notions of hygiene and pathology specific to various systems in human body, by elaborating personal optional disciplines, and also within extracurricular activities.