Tea drinking has become a daily ritual for us. Herbal tea is probably the only medicine taking which gives pleasure. Nowadays receiving such a simple pleasure requires much time, knowledge and advanced technologies. Herbal tea was mentioned even in the historical sources of Ancient Egypt.
Lithuania still retains its rich traditions of using medicinal herbs. People living in the countryside know much about the curing properties of herbs and never take chemical medication, when they feel unwell, before they try herbs. Historical sources show that much information about medicinal herbs and their application has been collected during several centuries. As early as in the 17th century Vilnius already had special stores selling medicinal herbs. Practical medicine started developing much faster when scientists of the Botanical Gardens of Vilnius University started studying and distributing medicinal herbs. A catalogue published at the beginning of the 18th century listed 1,040 herbs, 242 of which were medicinal. So the tradition was transformed into a branch of science and industry. In 1833 a plant of medicinal herbs was founded in Švenčionys.
In geobotanical terms the location of Lithuania is special as the eastern, western, northern, and southern plant ranges cross here. A wide range of herbs may be represented in a small area, and due to the marine climate they grow in abundance and match well. Švenčionys Region is famous for diversity of species as it is situated in a part of the Lithuanian highland in the East of the country. The hilly landscape determines the zoning of flora and the soil there is also very diverse: from clays to sands and gravel, from peatland to hills affected by erosion. So Švenčionys Region is rich in different medicinal plants, and the residents have been collecting and using them for curing purposes for a immemorable times. In 1883 an energetic pharmacist of this region Naumas Taraseiskis established an enterprise known as "Fabryka Ziol Leczniczych Taraseiski i Sinovie".
In 2000 the company was bought by Dmitrij Buriak. In 2002 the renovation of the plant was completed and new technical equipment was installed. At present the products of the company are widely demanded not only in Lithuania but are also exported to other Baltic countries, to Central Europe, and Russia.