Herbals: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly
Al Tunnell, Summer Student Intern 2000 and
Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate 2003
Campbell University
For
centuries, men and women have turned to a herbal remedy
to treat fevers, headache and arthritis. Hippocrates advised
women to chew the leaves of this plant to lessen the pain
of childbirth. This natural remedy is just as good, if not
better, than some prescription medicines. In addition, it
is not habit-forming.
So, what is this
amazing herbal remedy? It is called willow bark. However,
you no longer need to chew the leaves or brew a tea from
it to obtain its benefits. A century ago, scientists discovered
the chemical in willow bark that causes the pain relief.
Today, millions of people buy this pain reliever under its
more common name - aspirin.
Aspirin is a purified
form of the pain reliever in willow bark. Whether you are
taking aspirin or the "natural" willow bark, both remedies
must be used with caution. Both can upset your stomach and
people with stomach ulcers should be very careful about
using them.. The moral to this story is, "Just because herbal
medicines are natural doesn't mean they are safe."
In the past few
years more and more people have been turning back to herbal
remedies as a "natural" alternative to prescription medicines.
But as in the case of willow bark, these herbal remedies
must be treated with respect.
For example, many
busy people are taking a herb called Kava Kava to relieve
their stress. This herb has been used for centuries in tribal
ceremonies in the South Pacific because of its tranquilizing
effects. You might think that if tribes in the South Pacific
have used it for thousands of years, then it must be safe.
Just like any medicine, Kava Kava can cause side effects--especially
when used for a long time. A person could develop shortness
of breath, high blood pressure in the vessels of the lungs,
or reduced protein levels in the blood. In less severe cases
people can have flaking, dry, and discolored skin. Anyone
using Kava Kava should not drink alcohol or take any other
medicines or herbal remedies that cause sleepiness. Women
should not take this herb when pregnant or breastfeeding.
Another popular
remedy today is Echinacea, commonly known to garderners
as the "purple cone flower." Americans are spending $300
million a year on various echinacea products. It is thought
to make a person's immune system stronger and help them
fight a cold or flu. Just like willow bark, people must
treat this herbal with respect. If you have asthma or hay
fever, then you could have an allergic reaction to Echinacea.
If you've had a transplant or are taking a steroid, this
remedy could make your condition worse. If Echinacea is
overused, it could have the opposite effect and weaken your
immune system. It can even cause liver damage.
Another problem
consumers face is that not all Echinacea products are the
same. They may contain different amounts of Echinacea and
may have other herbals mixed in. This means that a person
taking one brand of Echinacea could have a different reaction
than someone taking another brand.
The reason for
this is that when manufacturers harvest the plant, they
will get bags full of the plant they want, as well as twigs,
bark, and other plants that they do not want. Some of that
extra material may find its way into the tablets on the
shelf. This is why it is difficult to get the same ingredients
in every tablet. Every tablet will be slightly different.
Herbal remedy
manufacturers claim that sometimes a mixture of chemicals
in a herbal remedy is better than having just one ingredient.
They argue that it may take several ingredients working
together to produce the effect. Unfortunately, there are
no studies to prove this one way or the other. Studies are
not required by FDA before selling a herbal remedy. Thus,
herbal remedies do not have to meet the safety regulations
that apply to prescription and nonprescription medications.
If you are considering
taking a herbal remedy: