A multi-lingual and multi-cultural tool for learning herbal medicine

Abstract

In Thailand, traditional medicine has been derived from several cultures, e.g., traditional Indian medicine (Ayurveda) and traditional Chinese medicine. Herbal medicine is an important part in Thai traditional medicine. Practitioners including pharmacists need knowledge of herbal medicine. However, it is hard for a student to familiar with several medicinal herbs with a limitation of time. To increase understanding in herbal medicine, a multi-lingual and multi-cultural learning tool for herbal medicine should be established. In this paper, KUIHerbRx2014, a Web-based supplement learning tool on herbal medicine, is introduced. The KUIHerbRx2014 supports a collaborative learning to improve knowledge and skills in multi-cultural herbal medicine with a scientific method. It also supports herb names in multi-lingual and multi-script. Activities of collecting, contributing new opinions, vote to existed opinions, and providing useful information to the system, were proposed to learn herbal medicine.