JOHNSON CITY (November 28, 2012) – Many of the medications used to cure and treat illnesses come in the form of a pill or injection, but Mother Nature produces all sorts of plants and substances – herbs, spices, honey – that have healing properties, too.

Students from East Tennessee State University’s Bill Gatton College of Pharmacy will highlight 40 of these “natural medicines” during a poster presentation of their research from 1-3 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 29, at the Jonesborough Senior Center. Admission is free and the public is invited to attend.

Dr. Brian Odle, an assistant professor in the ETSU Department of Pharmacy Practice, teaches a class on the subject for third-year students. This marks the fifth year that his class will present its findings, which can be useful for the public, pharmacists and other health care providers who want to learn about substances that possess natural healing properties.

Some of those are already well known – such as the use of the aloe plant for cuts and burns – but many are not, Odle said.

“Honey is a good example,” Odle said. “Most people have a jar of honey in the pantry to spread on a biscuit or sweeten tea. But ingesting honey can also lower risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and if you’re looking for a cough suppressant, it’s hard to beat a spoonful of honey.”