The growing use of herbal medicines: issues relating to adverse reactions and challenges in monitoring safety
TLDR
Safety continues to be a major issue with the use of herbal remedies and it becomes imperative, therefore, that relevant regulatory authorities put in place appropriate measures to protect public health by ensuring that all herbal medicines are safe and of suitable quality.Abstract:
The use of herbal medicinal products and supplements has increased tremendously over the past three decades with not less than 80% of people worldwide relying on them for some part of primary health care. Although therapies involving these agents have shown promising potential with the efficacy of a good number of herbal products clearly established, many of them remain untested and their use are either poorly monitored or not even monitored at all. The consequence of this is an inadequate knowledge of their mode of action, potential adverse reactions, contraindications and interactions with existing orthodox pharmaceuticals and functional foods to promote both safe and rational use of these agents. Since safety continues to be a major issue with the use of herbal remedies, it becomes imperative, therefore, that relevant regulatory authorities put in place appropriate measures to protect public health by ensuring that all herbal medicines are safe and of suitable quality. This review discusses toxicity related-issues and major safety concerns arising from the use of herbal medicinal products and also highlights some important challenges associated with effective monitoring of their safety.read more
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References
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Journal ArticleDOI
Why patients use alternative medicine : results of a national study
TL;DR: Along with being more educated and reporting poorer health status, the majority of alternative medicine users appear to be doing so not so much as a result of being dissatisfied with conventional medicine but largely because they find these health care alternatives to be more congruent with their own values, beliefs, and philosophical orientations toward health and life.
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The Complete German Commission E Monographs: Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines
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TL;DR: This book is a translation of all 380 monographs on medicinal herbs published by the German commission E, an expert multidisciplinary group within the German federal health agency charged with evaluating the safety and efficacy of herbal medications.
Book
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