Herbs

Herbalism is a traditional medicinal or folk medicine practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts. Herbalism is also known as botanical medicine, medicinal botany^[1], medical herbalism, herbal medicine, herbology, and phytotherapy. Sometimes the scope of herbal medicine is extended to include fungi and bee products, as well as minerals, shells and certain animal parts.The use of herbs to treat disease is almost universal among non-industrialized societies^{[citation needed]}. A number of traditions came to dominate the practice of herbal medicine at the end of the twentieth century:

• The herbal medicine system, based on Greek and Roman sources
• The Ayurvedic medicine system from India
• Chinese herbal medicine (Chinese herbology)
• Unani-Tibb medicine
• Shamanic Herbalism

According to the WHO, 74% of 119 modern plant-derived pharmaceutical medicines are used in ways that are similar to their traditional uses. Major pharmaceutical companies are currently conducting extensive research on plant materials gathered from the rainforests and other places for possible new pharmaceuticals.^[17]

The use of, and search for, drugs and dietary supplements derived from plants have accelerated in recent years. Pharmacologists, microbiologists, botanists, and natural-products chemists are combing the Earth for phytochemicals and leads that could be developed for treatment of various diseases. In fact, approximately 25% of modern drugs used in the United States have been derived from plants.

• Three quarters of plants that provide active ingredients for prescription drugs came to the attention of researchers because of their use in traditional medicine.

• Among the 120 active compounds currently isolated from the higher plants and widely used in modern medicine today, 75 percent show a positive correlation between their modern therapeutic use and the traditional use of the plants from which they are derived.

• More than two thirds of the world's plant species - at least 35,000 of which are estimated to have medicinal value - come from the developing countries.

• At least 7,000 medical compounds in the modern pharmacopoeia are derived from plants^[18]

Few herbal remedies have conclusively demonstrated any positive effect on humans^{[citation needed]}. Many of the studies cited refer to animal model investigations or in-vitro assays and therefore cannot provide more than weak supportive evidence.^{[citation needed]}.

• Artichoke and several other plants may reduce total serum cholesterol levels in preliminary studies. ^[30][31]
• Black cohosh and other plants that contain phytoestrogens (plant molecules with estrogen activity) have some benefits for treatment of symptoms resulting from menopause.^[32]
• Echinacea extracts can limit the length and severity of rhinovirus colds; however, the appropriate dosage levels, which might be higher than is available over-the-counter, require further research. ^[33][34]
• Elderberry may speed the recovery from type A and B influenza.^[35] However it is possibly risky in the case of avian influenza because the immunostimulatory effects may aggravate the cytokine cascade. ^[36]
• Garlic can lower total cholesterol levels^[37]
• Purified extracts of the seeds of Hibiscus sabdariffa may have some anti-microbial effect, but may also have some toxicity to mammalian testes.^[38]
• Nigella sativa (Black cumin) is a general medicinal plant can be used for diverse ailments such as cough, pulmonary infections, asthma, influenza, allergy, hypertension and stomach ache. ^[39][40][41]
• Oregano may be effective against multi-drug resistant bacteria. ^[42]
• Pawpaw can be used for insecticidal purposes (killing lice, worms).^{[citation needed]}
• Phytolacca or Pokeweed is used as a homeopathic remedy to treat many ailments. It can be applied topically or taken internally. Topical treatments have been used for acne and other ailments. Internal treatments include tonsilitis, swollen glands and weight loss.^{[citation needed]}
• Peppermint oil may have benefits for individuals with irritable bowel syndrome.^[43][44]
• Rauvolfia Serpentina, high risk of toxicity if improperly used^{[citation needed]}, used extensively in India for sleeplessness, anxiety, and high blood pressure^{[citation needed]}. The first proven allopathic medicine for high blood pressure was extracted from this herb.^{[citation needed]}
• Salvia lavandulaefolia may improve memory ^[45]
• St. John's wort, has yielded positive results, proving more effective than a placebo for the treatment of mild to moderate depression in some clinical trials: however, safety and efficacy profiles (that is, amount of drug needed for a clinical effect) have not been shown.^[46]
• Valerian root can be used to treat insomnia. Clinical studies show mixed results^[47][48] A valerian/hops combination has shown efficacy ^[49]
• Feverfew can be used to treat migraine headaches.^[50]However, many reviews of these studies show no efficacy ^[51] and dangerous side effects.^[52][53]
• Saw Palmetto can be used for BPH. Supported in some studies ^[54], failed to confirm in otherrs. ^[55]
• Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar can be used to treat acne.^{[citation needed]}
• Green tea components may inhibit growth of breast cancer cells^[56] and may heal scars faster. ^[57]
• Lemon grass can lower cholesterol. ^{[citation needed]}
• Honey may reduce cholesterol.^[58] May be useful in wound healing. ^[59]

[edit] Risks

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A common misconception about herbalism and the use of "natural" products in general, is that "natural" equals safe^{[citation needed]}. However many plants have chemical defense mechanisms against predators that can have adverse or lethal effects on humans, for example poison hemlock and nightshade, which can be deadly, although they are not sold as herbs. Herbs can also have undesirable side-effects just as pharmaceutical products can. These problems are exacerbated by different controls over purity and inconsistent information on dosage ^{[citation needed]} due to the status of herbs in the United States as dietary supplements which are technically not supposed to have medicinal functions^{[neutrality disputed][citation needed]}. Standardization of purity and dosage is not mandated in the United States but even products made to the same specification may differ as a result of biochemical variations within a species of plant.^[60] Furthermore, if given in conjunction with drugs, there is danger of 'summation', where the herb and the drug have similar actions and add together to cause an 'overdose' or reduction in the effects, particularly with the Cytochrome P450^{[citation needed]}.

There is a danger that herbal remedies will be used in place of other medical treatments which have been scientifically tested for safety and efficacy, resulting in the development or worsening of a medical condition which could have been better prevented or treated^{[citation needed]}. There is also a danger that an herbal remedy may itself cause harm which is unanticipated due to a lack of a full understanding of its composition and biochemical effects^{[citation needed]}.

[edit] Effectiveness

The gold standard for pharmaceutical testing is repeated, large-scale, randomized, double-blind tests. Some plant products or pharmaceutical drugs derived from them are incorporated into mainstream medicine. To recoup the considerable costs of testing to the regulatory standards, the substances are patented by pharmaceutical companies and sold at a substantial profit^{[61][citation needed]}.

Most herbal traditions have accumulated knowledge without modern scientific controls to distinguish between the placebo effect, the body's natural ability to heal itself, and the actual benefits of the herbs themselves^{[citation needed]}. Many herbs have shown positive results in in-vitro, animal model or small-scale clinical tests.^{[62][citation needed]} The few randomized, double-blind tests that receive attention in mainstream medical publications are often questioned on methodological grounds or interpretation. Likewise, studies published in peer-reviewed medical journals such as Journal of the American Medical Association receive more consideration than those published in specialized herbal journals.

Herbalists tend to use parts of plants, such as the roots or leaves but not isolate particular phytochemicals^{[63][citation needed]}. They argue that the synergy of the combined substances enhances the efficacy and dilutes toxicity^{[64][citation needed]}. Unfortunately, this assertion is difficult to prove. Pharmaceutical medicine on the other hand prefers single ingredients on the grounds that dosage can be more easily quantified.

Dosage is in general an outstanding issue for herbal treatments: while most conventional medicines are heavily tested to determine the most effective and safest dosages (especially in relation to things like body weight, drug interactions, etc.), there are few established dosage standards for various herbal treatments on the market^{[citation needed]}. Furthermore, herbal medicines taken in whole form cannot generally guarantee a consistent dosage or drug quality (since certain samples may contain more or less of a given active ingredient.

The issue of regulation is an area of continuing controversy in the EU and USA. At one end of the spectrum, some herbalists maintain that traditional remedies have a long history of use, and do not require the level of safety testing as xenobiotics or single ingredients in an artificially concentrated form^{[citation needed]}. On the other hand, others are in favor of legally enforced quality standards, safety testing and prescription by a qualified practitioner^{[citation needed]}. Some professional herbalist organizations have made statements calling for a category of regulation for herbal products^{[65][citation needed]}. Yet others agree with the need for more quality testing but believe it can be managed through reputation without government intervention^{[citation needed]}. ^[66]