Herbalism and traditional home remedies can be helpful. Particularly when they are the only materials you have to work with. Many modern medicines have been inspired by or refined from concentrations of natural materials. Once you understand how the herbal concoction works it is a lot easier to refine a synthetic analog.

But it is almost always the modern preparations that carry the day. Herbal preparations are notorious for variable dosage, inconsistent effectiveness and highly questionable assumed etiology and mechanism which often leads to inappropriate use. Assuming they have any effect at all.

Ginkgo biloba is reputed to boost brain function and memory but controlled studies show it to have no discernible effect.

Echinacea is reputed to help boost immune function but, again, it seems to have no effect in a double-blind controlled study.

If you go to a doctor for an infection your going to get something other than a herbal remedy. Antibiotics might be called for. But if your in the deep woods where modern medicine is not available blind hope, rest and echinacea might be the best you can manage. You use what you have.

As it has been pointed out many times before 'natural medicine' and 'herbalism' tend to be null categories. To the extent they consistently and reliably work they have been adopted and become a conventional and accepted medical treatment. Willow bark has long been used to treat pain and muscle aches but doctors don't generally recommend it. Instead they recommend aspirin, the synthetically produced analog that comes in an easy to use form and reliable dosage.

So use herbs for minor ailments if it makes you happy and they seem to work for you. Most minor ailments tend to moderate or go away in time no matter what you do. It is reasonable to use herbs for more serious issues if conventional treatments are not available. But for serious illness you need serious medicine.