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This Month:  BOADICEA

HEALTH  EDITORIAL ARTICLES

THIS WEB PAGE IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION THEREFORE, SOME ARTICLES MAY BE UPDATED IN THE FUTURE AS RESEARCH IS EXPANDED

HEALTHPOSTS
Safer Natural Health From Well Lore
HEALTH  EDITORIAL ARTICLES

The Well Lore Information Base

READ THE RESEARCH ARTICLES LISTED BELOW:

HEALTHPOST 001
WELL LORE'S HELPFUL CULINARY HERBS & SPICES

HEALTHPOST 002
SAFETY GUIDELINES IN NATURAL HEALTH

HEALTHPOST 003
DANGEROUS HERB PRECAUTIONS
(partial list;  more will be identified later)

HEALTHPOST 004
HISTORICAL HERBS, NATURAL ANTIBIOTICS, AND IMMUNITY DEFENSE

HEALTHPOST 005
HERBS AND SAFETY

HEALTHPOST 006
ALLERGY AND ASTHMA RELIEF  under construction

HEALTHPOST 007
ARTHRITIS, INFLAMMATION, AND CHRONIC-PAIN RELIEF

The Abbey of Well Lore

Ask the Abbey
Dear Virtual Abbey:
QUESTION #1: How high is the safety of plant herbs? 

This question is a difficult one just because it is so general; tradition states that "yes, herbs (traditionally thought of as herbaceous edible plants) are safe. The problem is that there are so many plant varieties all over the world, and there are still imprudent people who insist on calling dangerous or toxic plants "herbs." Such an imprudent tendency is utilizing a somewhat evil euphemism, since people can be harmed by the imprudent labeling of dangerous or toxic plants as "herbs."  Common caution by consumers is of cardinal importance. Yet thankfully, due to stringent government regulations on food and herbs, the incidence 
of people becoming ill due to adulterated or ill-prepared herbal
supplements is rare.  Still;  caution is very important.

Be assured that most major and reputable herbal product manufacturers take extreme care and have great pride in the safety and helpfulness of their carefully and purely manufactured products.  The safety record of manufactured herbs is very good.

Most widely used herbs are safe.

Then there are potentially dangerous plants that can be used medicinally for very limited use and only by an expert herbalist or doctor.  Again, due care by the manufacturers and the consumer is in order.

According to the American Herbal Products Association,
"Plants that enjoy broad culinary and therapeutic usage are generally safe. We can flavor our food with any number of herbs to make a meal more flavorful. We can appreciate a delicious cup of peppermint leaf or ginger root tea, or benefit from the soothing properties of marshmallow root or the bark of slippery elm. We can take an herbal supplement containing dandelion root or saw palmetto berries, or any number of the other herbs. Although allergies and reactions have been recorded for a few herbs that are widely used in foods and supplements, such individual concerns are also seen with many foods, and do not diminish the safety profile of the many herbs that are generally recognized as safe...."

Yet one must not forget that there is danger in all forms of healing, including the licensed practice of medicine. In the use of herbal medicinal plants is no different a  need for caution.....The American Herbal Products Association cautions...

"On the other hand, and as everyone knows, there are any number of plants that are highly toxic, even deadly. Every ten-year-old hiker knows to stay away from poison ivy (Toxicodendron spp.) when walking in the woods. The death sentence imposed on Socrates by an Athenian jury 2400 years ago was carried out with a fatal dose of hemlock (Conium maculatum)..."

The American Herbal Products Association further wisely cautions individuals that all plants need to be avoided if they are not known or cannot be positively identified.  Casual human "grazing" while on a camping trip is dangerous unless one is absolutely positive on the identification of the plant, and the plant is well-known. Even inside of urban areas, this caution must  exist.   For example, the AHPA reports,

"Just this year, in the "concrete jungle" of Los Angeles, two young boys died from ingesting a few leaves of the ubiquitous oleander "..."(Nerium oleander). Federal law ... and good common sense, however, prevent the use of any such highly toxic plant in products that are readily available to consumers...."

The reason that the American Herbal Products Association distinguishes between "herbs" and "herbal supplements" is obvious; supplements are manufactured and therefore may contain a more 
potent form of the herb or have additives. According to guidelines of the Food and Drug Administration, herbal supplement manufacturers are responsible to ensure that their products are safe. As stated by the American Herbal Products Association, 

"Federal law requires that every food product, including herbal supplements, is free of "adulteration" and is not "misbranded." This legal language translates into a requirement that all foods and supplements have a reasonable expectation of safety when offered for sale and when used as directed. So manufacturers of soups, cereals, and supplements all have an obligation to sell only safely made and properly labeled goods, and can find their products subject to seizure should they fail to do so. In addition, manufacturers of herbal products are specifically required to limit their ingredients to either those that were already in the market prior to passage of landmark legislation in 1994 or those that a company can convincingly show, by providing information to the Food and Drug Administration, to be safe. What that means is that any manufacturer who wants to introduce a new herbal ingredient must first provide FDA with information that shows that the herb will be "reasonably expected to be safe" ....

The traditional "rule of thumb" ; and it is, mind you, just a general "rule of thumb";  is that the longer an herb has safely been in usage (thousands of years is better than hundreds....hundreds of years is better than tens.....) the safer the herb is, as long as it isn't adulterated.  Adulteration is always a danger and should be avoided.

It is rare incidence indeed when  an herbal manufacturer  takes the huge risk of providing adulterated health products.  Most major manufacturers do not.  The FDA regulates the manufacturers of dietary supplements in order to avoid this. As in medical laboratories, some standardized preparations utilize the latest of scientific processes; proper sanitation, hygienics, heating, pressure and re-pressurization, chemical displacement; the exact processes may be somewhat simpler than in pharmaceuticals preparation.  Still,  good manufacturers will take due care to guard their products from pollution.  Often times, whole herbs can be isolated in the manufacturing process, and pure extracts formulated from them.

In Germany, many medicines are analyzed very closely to insure
safety and purity.  Germany has it's Commission E for such oversight.

"Additionally, the safety of herbal products as a general class has been well established by both their long history of traditional use worldwide and by their broad contemporary use by a significant proportion of the population, estimated to be nearly half of the U.S. population"..." There are so few credible reports of unexpected side effects due to herbal products that most experts consider problems with herbal products to be of only minor or occasional concern."

The AHPA cites Norman Farnsworth, Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Traditional Medicine and Research Professor of Pharmacognosy at the University of Chicago at Illinois, as being  generally seen as a most respected expert on the actual and scientific  research of plant  medicines. In a 1993 article written on the subject of herbal safety Dr. Farnsworth concluded, 

"...side effects or toxic reactions associated with herbal medicines in any form are rare. In fact, of all classes of substances reported to cause toxicities of sufficient magnitude to be reported in the United States, plants are the least problematic." This is not to say that every herbal ingredient that is sold as an ingredient in a supplement is appropriate for every consumer or in any quantity. Responsible and informed use by consumers is essential to insure that herbal products maintain their established safety profile...."

Narrowing one's concern to potentially toxic plants could cause one to ignore other real dangers of the lack of cautionary usage of synthetic chemicals.  Even with synthetic chemicals, one should not replace due care and caution with paranoid fear.  Many synthetic drugs are truly lifesaving.

Consumers may opt to read a piece  of literature provided by the AHPA, that may be  available through Amazon.com.  The Book is entitled  Botanical Safety Handbook. AHPA published the entire volume, containing information about established herb safety concerns.   The AHPA adds:

"This reference classifies over 500 herbs with safety categories that can assist both manufacturers in their labeling and consumers in making informed choices in their use of herbs. A general rule for assuring responsible use of an herbal product is to follow all of the labeled directions. If the product bears a caution that suggests that the product is inappropriate for your use, you should take that message seriously. More information can often be provided by a qualified expert, and often from well-informed retail personnel...."

So you can see, even though herbal manufacturers may not be   "licensed pharmacists," they still have stringent guidelines to follow. Thankfully, this  provides the consumer with an added buffer of safety when utilizing herbal supplements for health enhancement and natural remedies.  In addition, the AHPA wisely advises that the individual consumer take the time to become self-educated on the safe use of herbs before consuming them.

You may wish to consider the many positive, beneficial, and comforting features of a steaming cup of ginger tea or 
refreshing cranberry for oral hygiene.  Currently, some liberal politicians are working to block citizens access to the vitamins, minerals, and other supplements that many people rely on for such comfort and health enhancement.  

You may want to check out Puritan Pride Vitamin's Web Site at
www.puritan.com for more information on this potential threat
and the possible blockage of American's access to the vitamins and minerals we need to stay healthy.

Should you still tell your doctor when you are using herbs? Methinks that counting all of the loving reminders on the Well Lore web page to DO JUST THAT, the heavenly  answer is an emphatic YES!  We emphasize this because we do care for you!  You should talk to your doctor!

Your doctor is the primary person for managing your medical conditions, and as the AHPA emphasizes "you should insist that your doctor, no matter their degree of training in herbs, receive that information respectfully. In telling your doctor of your decision to use an herbal product, however, don't be surprised to find that your knowledge of herbs is more advanced than theirs. You might suggest (again, respectfully) that they expand their education by using some of the internet resources...... or by purchasing and studying some of the written references identified there. At the same time, remember that your prescribing physician has a responsibility to safely oversee your use of any prescription drugs. If your doctor is concerned that a pharmaceutical substance might interact with an herbal product, it is prudent to accept such advice."

Good advice from the American Herbal Products Association. 
For additional information on  herbal products, visit the AHPA web site at: http://www.ahpa.org/ 

See their full webpage with many articles on herbal safety at: http://www.ahpa.org/ 

And....remember to Ask the Abbey!

Until we gather again........

Mrs. Lori Anderson Bunge

The author of the article above  does not claim authorship of the excepts contained in this article. This entire article is not to be reprinted without written permission from Well Lore; nor is it to be used for commercial purposes.  For fair and educational uses only

The above article contains excerpts,  in part,  (for fair, non-commercial and educational use only) from the American Herbal Products Association  and its article found at:   http://www.ahpa.org/herbal_faqs.htm#11 

See their full webpage  at: http://www.ahpa.org/ 

REFERENCES:  THE AMERICAN HERBAL PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION
http://www.ahpa.org/herbal_faqs.htm#11

FOR ALL REFERENCES USED, see Bibliography

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HERBAL SAFETY, READ THE HEALTHPOST ARTICLE:

HEALTHPOST 005 HERBS AND SAFETY

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