Herbal Therapy

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Herbal Therapy
Cures from Nature’s Medicine Chest

If you’ve ever taken aspirin, you’ve taken a drug derived from an herb.

If you’ve ever taken one of those oral decongestants that don’t make you drowsy, you’ve taken a drug derived from an herb.

“In the past, almost all medicines were herbs,” says Varro E. Tyler, Ph.D., professor of pharmacognosy (the study of drugs from natural sources) at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Like aspirin and those decongestants, many of today’s medicines are synthetic forms of herbs. Aspirin’s main ingredient is acetylsalicylic acid, which is isolated from the bark of a willow tree. Those oral decongestants contain pseudoephedrine, which is made from the ephedra plant. In fact, at least one-fourth of all of the drugs that doctors prescribe contain active ingredients derived or synthesized from plant medicines, says Norman R. Farnsworth, Ph.D., director of the Program for Collaborative Research in the College of Pharmacy at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

How did primitive man discover that plants had medicinal properties? The first “herbalists” probably watched the animals, noticing which plants the beasts grazed on when they weren’t feeling well. They tried those plants themselves. They also discovered by trial and error which plants helped and which harmed. When someone felt better after eating certain flowers, others would try them. If someone broke out in a rash after chewing certain roots, everyone would stay away from them. Eventually, primitive people found plants that helped them sleep, plants that helped them stay awake, plants that cured stomachaches and plants that soothed sunburned skin.

The History of Herbs

Those primitive discoveries were eventually systematized in ancient Rome, Greece, Egypt and China. In ancient Egypt, for example, there was the Papyrus Ebers, a sort of hieroglyphic version of the Physician’s Desk Reference. Its remedies included aloe vera for cuts and burns and mint to aid digestion—remedies that are still used today.

This tradition of herbal remedies continued for centuries, until the beginning of modern science and its knowledge of chemistry. At that point, scientists and doctors could isolate the active ingredient from an herb and produce a more potent, faster-acting medicine. In 1806, a German apprentice pharmacist isolated an active element of the opium plant, a chemical alkaloid that he called morphine. Scientists soon isolated other chemicals: the antimalarial quinine from Cinchona orperuvian bark, the antispasmodic atropine from Belladonna leaves, the anesthetic cocaine from coca leaves and the heart drug digitoxin from purple foxglove leaves.

By the late nineteenth century, doctors were beginning to view herbal remedies as old-fashioned. And why not? Dosages of medicines were standardized in synthesized drugs but required guesswork when administered in herbs. But even as synthetic pharmaceuticals began to dominate medical practice, some practitioners continued to administer herbal remedies: homeopaths, osteopaths, chiropractors and hydrotherapists as well as the eclectics, a group of Americans who combined European herbal traditions with the plant lore borrowed from Native American traditions.

With the discovery of penicillin in 1928, the age of miracle drugs began. The hormone cortisone was isolated in 1930. The antibiotics streptomycin and Aureomycin, a brand of chlortetracycline, were produced in 1943 and 1945, respectively. The drug industry became a multinational, mega-billion-dollar enterprise. But with more powerful drugs came more powerful problems—what doctors call side effects. (The most dramatic and ghastly were the birth defects created by thalidomide, a sleeping pill often used by pregnant women in the 1960s.) Yes, synthetic medicines were the norm, but many doctors (and patients) began to see a reason to use the gentler, more natural medicines that are herbs.

Back to Nature—Back to Herbs

Why do people try herbal therapy? One reason, says Robert McCaleb, president of the Herb Research Foundation, a research and education organization in Boulder, Colorado, is that they’re searching for self-care and disease prevention techniques in a time of soaring health care costs. “To people who are in good health, herbal remedies offer opportunities for staying well,” McCaleb says.

Taking ginseng capsules, for instance, may help people stay mentally alert when they’re coping with the stresses of working too hard, says Dr. Tyler. And drinking a cup of lemon balm tea, a natural relaxant, can relieve stress and calm you down, says naturopathic physician Mary Bove, L.M., N.D., director of the Brattleboro Naturopathic Clinic in Vermont.

Bruises, swelling, sprains, cuts, colds, fevers, minor burns and rashes respond well to herbal treatments, says Cynthia Mervis Watson, M.D., a physician who specializes in homeopathic and herbal therapies in her family practice in Santa Monica, California. There are also effective herbal therapies for women’s reproductive problems, including premenstrual syndrome, infertility, irregular periods, menstrual cramps, menopausal symptoms and vaginal infections, she says.

Herbal remedies form a strong first line of defense against colds, flus and other infectious diseases. Unlike antibiotics, herbs can be used to treat both bacterial and viral infections, says Rosemary Gladstar, a Barre, Vermont, herb alist and author of several books about herbs, including Herbal Healing for Women.

Herbal therapy has another benefit as well. “For people who are taking potent prescription drugs with lots of side effects, herbs provide safer, gentler alternatives,” McCaleb says. Valerian, for instance, is an effective, nonaddictive alternative to prescription sleeping pills, says Dr. Tyler. For motion sickness, ginger is a good alternative to antihistamines, which can cause drowsiness, and to the scopolamine patch, which can cause dry mouth. Ginger has no significant side effects, he says.

McCaleb says the herbs ginkgo and saw palmetto can alleviate some of the afflictions of old age. Studies show that taking ginkgo can help elderly people who suffer from memory loss and confusion and that saw palmetto is effective at treating the prostate problems that plague many older men.

And herbal remedies sometimes work when Western medical treatments fail. “They’re great for treating urinary tract infections, digestive problems, menstrual cramps, coughs, colds, skin rashes, allergies, chronic fatigue—all kinds of immune system problems,” says Dr. Watson.

When it comes to treating serious illnesses such as heart disease, cancer and autoimmune disorders, many medical doctors are prescribing herbal remedies to be used in conjunction with mainstream medical techniques, says Dr. Watson. Herbs such as ginger, peppermint, papaya and fennel can help reduce the nausea caused by chemotherapy, for instance. Irish moss can thin the blood, and hawthorn berry, rosemary and motherwort can improve circulation in people with heart disease. (When using herbs in the treatment of major health problems, you must consult with a health professional, Dr. Watson cautions.)

But whether using them for prevention, as home remedies or as helper substances for drugs, people are using a lot of herbs. In 1993, total sales of herbal remedies were estimated to be about $1.5 billion, says Mark Blumenthal, executive director of the American Botanical Council in Austin, Texas.

Shopping for Herbs

Choosing herbal remedies has always been somewhat of a puzzle, with most consumers not getting much help from label instructions about what to take, for what purpose and in what dosage. The reason for this is that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) forbids manufacturers of herbal products from putting therapeutic information on the labels, says James Duke, Ph.D., an economic botanist and toxicology specialist retired from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s because herbs are considered to be nutritional supplements, not drugs. Of course, if an herb manufacturer wants to prove the therapeutic value of an herb, it’s welcome to do so. But the FDA’s medical testing process is so expensive that most herbal manufacturers can’t afford it, says Dr. Duke—especially since the return, financially, is never as great with herbal remedies as with pharmaceuticals. “Who can afford to invest $231 million to prove that an herb such as feverfew, which you and I could grow in our backyards, can prevent migraines? How would manufacturers get their $231 million back?” he says.

Even though these remedies are not drugs, they are used for therapeutic purposes.

“It’s important to remember that herbs are medicines,” says Dr. Watson. “As with any medication, it’s important to know how to take herbs, how frequently and in what dosage.”

Many people are guided by magazines and books. It’s also a good idea, says Gladstar, to ask for advice from health professionals, including M.D.’s and R.N.’s who have an interest in herbal therapy, naturopathic doctors (N.D.’s), who specialize in prescribing herbs, and herbalists, who are usually self-trained and often very knowledgeable. Be sure to ask them about side effects or possible interactions with other drugs that you might be taking. (For recommended books on herbs, refer to the resource list on 635.)

No matter what you do, however, you must be aware that just because it’s natural doesn’t mean it’s always safe. Most herbal remedies are, but a few can be quite dangerous, especially when used in combination with prescription or over-the-counter drugs or when used by people with pre-existing health problems. (For a list of herbs with potentially harmful side effects, see “Hazardous Herbs” on page 62.)

Pokeweed, for instance, a plant that has been used to treat arthritis, can produce serious side effects such as respiratory paralysis and convulsions, says Dr. Duke.

Goldenseal, a powerful natural antibiotic, may help you fight colds, flus and other types of infection. When used long term for chronic infections, however, it should be taken only in cycles, such as two to three weeks on and two weeks off. Taken without a break in the cycle, it may cause you to get sicker rather than better, says Gladstar.

Giving It Time

Herbs don’t necessarily work quickly for chronic health problems. For some long-term conditions, you may need to take an herbal remedy for at least three months before you see results, says Gladstar.

“Most people who don’t get results with herbs make the mistake of giving up too soon,” Gladstar says. “They don’t wait long enough, and they don’t take enough of the herb for it to be effective.”

Used wisely, in the context of a healthy lifestyle that includes a nutritious diet and regular exercise, herbal remedies may be just the boost your body needs to keep you feeling vital and to protect you from illnesses, Gladstar says.

Keep in mind that since herbal remedies are not standardized, it is wise to follow the manufacturer’s label directions for each product that you buy. If a product does not have clear directions on the package, or if you have any problems or questions concerning the product, be sure to consult a reputable herbalist before using it. For a list of organizations that may help you locate an herbal therapy practitioner near you, refer to the resource list on page 635.