How Natural Are ‘Natural Herbal Remedies’?

Abstract

The study shows an urgent need to control the production, importing and selling of herbal preparations.

Clinicopathologic Manifestations of 36 Korean Patients with Acute Generalized Exanthematous Pustulosis: A Case Series and Review of the Literature

“…Herbal medications are an easily accessible remedy compared to conventional therapy in Korea, and with less expense. It is not surprising that herbal medications can cause AGEP because herbal medications are known to contain unsafe levels of heavy metals (including mercury) 10 , synthetic drugs, or contamination with microorganisms 11 . Because AGEP is self-limited, more patients with AGEP due to herbal medication were thought to exist.…”

A massage from the diabetes team: patients may be tickled to see improved glycaemic control

“…2 Indeed some studies have shown potentially harmful effects relating to selected alternative therapies, and would appear to support calls for extreme caution in recommending the use of such interventions. 3,4 In their pilot study of the effect of tactile massage in patients with type 2 diabetes, Andersson et al show a small but significant reduction in HbA1c values that was sustained for three months after completion of the study. Patients recruited to receive tactile massage continued to take the diabetes regimen recommended by their regular diabetes care team, and underwent manipulation of this therapy wherever appropriate.…”

Biological Evaluation of the Weight Reduction Capacity of Selected Herbal Products Available in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

“…Nowadays a trend where the consumption of herbal products is on the increase is evident in both developing and developed countries [4]. Rates [5] outlines alternative medicines and drugs marketed as neutral compounds.…”

“…However, this does not mean that they are free from side effects [6]. Some may even be contaminated with metals, or adulterated with synthetic drugs [4], thereby placing consumers at risk.…”

“…In one cross-sectional survey of residents in the Riyadh region, 68% of the participants had used alternative medicine in the previous 12 months [11]. Highlighting the issue of contamination and potential toxicity of herbal products, [4] found that eight remedies marketed in the KSA contained synthetic drugs e.g. benzodiazepines and tricyclic antidepressants (in sedative doses) and cyproheptadine.…”