Assessing Herbal Products with Health Claims

Abstract

Herbs, herbal extracts, or phytochemicals are broadly used as foods, drugs, and as traditional medicines. These are well regulated in Europe, with thorough controls on both safety and efficacy or validity of health claims. However, the distinction between medicines and foods with health claims is not always clear. In addition, there are several cases of herbal products that claim benefits that are not scientifically demonstrated. This review details the European Union (EU) legislative framework that regulates the approval and marketing of herbal products bearing health claims as well as the scientific evidence that is needed to support such claims. To illustrate the latter, we focus on phytoecdysteroid (PE)-containing preparations, generally sold to sportsmen and bodybuilders. We review the limited published scientific evidence that supports claims for these products in humans. In addition, we model the in silico binding between different PEs and human nuclear receptors and discuss the implications of these putative bindings in terms of the mechanism of action of this family of compounds. We call for additional research to validate the safety and health-promoting properties of PEs and other herbal compounds, for the benefit of all consumers.

Functional constituents of wild and cultivated Goji (L. barbarum L.) leaves: phytochemical characterization, biological profile, and computational studies

“…Herbs, herbal extracts, and single phytochemicals are broadly used as foods, drugs, or remedies in traditional medicine. Many herbal products have health-promoting effects and, therefore, are marketed as such 3 . As a consequence, there has been much emphasize in phytochemicals with different biological properties such as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, antimutagenic, anticancer activity, or their use in pathologies such as Alzheimer’s and cardiometabolic disorders, in recent years 4 .…”

Factors Associated With the Concomitant Use of Cardiovascular Drugs and Dietary Herbal Products: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Concomitant use of antihypertensive drugs with certain herbal agents increases the risk of diuresis, hypotension, and hypokalemia in patients with hypertension. 7…”

“…The potential interactions between herbal medicines and prescription drugs, which may result in clinically significant unfavorable cardiovascular effects, have been systematically assessed in previous studies. 6,7…”

The phytochemical, biological, and medicinal attributes of phytoecdysteroids: An updated review

“…The major properties of PEs include hepatoprotective, hypoglycaemic, and anabolic effects on skeletal muscle 21 . PEs have been utilized by sportsmen and bodybuilders for improving physical performance, and for enhancing stress resistance by promoting vitality 22 . Different PEs could show binding interactions with human nuclear receptors 22 .…”

“…PEs have been utilized by sportsmen and bodybuilders for improving physical performance, and for enhancing stress resistance by promoting vitality 22 . Different PEs could show binding interactions with human nuclear receptors 22 . The PE derivatives displayed hormonal effects on invertebrates and exerted several favorable, non-hormonal, biological effects on mammals 23 .…”