Can Herbal Medicine Really Have an Impact on Your Health?

You may have heard of herbal medicine, but can a few plants really have an impact on your wellness? We spoke to complementary wellness expert O.C. Madu to find out just what herbal medicine is, and which herbs really have a medical effect.

 

1. Where Does Herbal Medicine Come From? According to Madu, ‘Plants have been used for medicinal purposes long before recorded history, for example ancient Chinese and Egyptian papyrus writings describe medicinal plant uses. Indigenous cultures in Africa and America used herbs in their healing rituals, while others, developed traditional medical systems such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine in which herbal therapies were used systematically. Scientists found that people in different parts of the globe tended to use the same or similar plants for the same purpose. In the early 19th century, when methods of chemical analysis first became available, scientists began extracting and modifying the active ingredients from plants. Many modern pharmaceuticals have been modelled on or derived from chemicals found in plants. An example is the heart medication digoxin derived from foxglove.’

 

2. Where Is Herbal Medicine Still Going Strong Today? ‘Recently, the World Health Organisation estimated that 80% of people worldwide rely on herbal medicines for some aspect of their primary health care,’ Madu details. ‘No wonder [Nigeria’s] current Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, proposed that traditional medicines should be incorporated into the current medical curriculum. The article further stated that medical practitioners ought to equip themselves with expert knowledge of traditional medicines.’

 

3. What Issues Can Herbal Medicines Help to Treat? Madu points out, ‘Recipes for the treatment of common ailments which are reported almost on daily basis include hypertension, dysentery, low sperm count and weak erections, coated tongue, piles, menstrual disorders, leucorrhoea and fevers.’

 

4. Why Are More People Becoming Interested in Herbal Medicine? Madu asserts, ‘Interest in medicinal plant as a re emerging health aid has been fuelled by the rising costs of prescription drugs in the maintenance of personal health and wellbeing and the bio-prospecting of new plant derived drugs. Based on current research and financial investments, medicinal plants will, seemingly, continue to play an important role as a health aid. Modern medicine complements traditional practices as is obtainable in industrialised societies e.g. China and India. In these societies, herbal remedies have become more popular in the treatment of minor ailments and also, account of the increasing costs of personal health maintenance. Indeed, the market and public demand have been so great, that there is a great risk that many medicinal plants today face either extinction or loss of genetic diversity.’

 

5. Which Specific Herbs Can Help with Health Concerns? ‘These natural herbs are very effective in boosting the resistance to infections, healing the allergies, raising and renewing the body vitality,’ Madu comments.

• Garlic: Also known as allium sativum, poor man’s Treacle, Bawang Bauarrg and monocot pernial, garlic is readily available and inexpensive. Moreover, Madu adds, ‘Garlic may be the first line of defence in treating high blood pressure and dealing with common skin and fungal infections.’


• Ginger: This spice also goes by many names, including zingber officinale luyang Dilaw and perennial monocot reed. Madu explains, ‘Ginger combines well with many herbs improving taste and potency. Ginger speeds up the delivery of healthy plant chemicals into the bloodstream while adding a spicy, hot zest to your favourite dishes.’


• Basil: Madu notes, ‘Indian Basil has been used for thousands of years in the traditional medicine of India, Ayurveda, known to Hindus as Tulsi.’


• Myrrh: The wise men must have given myrrh to the baby Jesus for a reason – to look after his health and wellbeing! ‘Myrrh was used in religious rituals in ancient Egypt,’ says Madu. ‘Myrrh’s antifungal, antiseptic and astringent [properties] helps the treatment of infections.’

Categories: ginger, health aid, herbal, herbal medicine, herbal medicines, history, madu, medicinal plant, medicinal plants, personal health, traditional medicines

Can Herbal Medicines Cause Kidney Failure?

Medicine is a very interesting subject that many people are interesting. While most people tend to rely on the opinion of their doctor or even just the basic truths of rational science, there is a growing section of society that are underwhelmed or unhappy with what they hear and prefer to make up their own minds on what medicines work and the best way for them to feel better. On a basic level this seems to be a fine, as long as people aren’t endangering themselves by taking harmful substances. That’s why so many people have now been moving onto herbal medicines.

 

Indeed, recently there has been a strong uptake in herbal medicines. This is likely down to people want to believe in the cures and treatments that a number of herbal medicines claim to make. While this is a highly controversial subject, as doctors and experts often assert that herbal medicines can do nothing to help your if you have an illness, more and more people still seem to be taking up these medicines as they feel desperate for relief from their conditions or hope to find a cure for whatever disease that they might have.

 

Herbal medicines and other natural remedies are especially popular in India, and this is a part of the world that is highly interested in the concept of alternative treatments. But now it seems that these therapies that are so popular now might actually be causing more harm than good. This is a very worrying development and could mean some troubling times for anyone who uses herbal therapies. So what exactly is the problem?

 

Well it seems that there may be an issue surround a compound called aristolochic acid which is found in a number of common herbal medicines. It appears that it can lead to a condition known as aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) which is a form of kidney failure that occurs when the body takes in too much of the aristolochic acid. It has also been linked to other kidney based problems such as kidney diseases and urothelial cancer. Given that these are obviously extremely serious conditions it can be no surprise that many people are now claiming that aristolochic acid should be avoided at all costs by anyone who wants to use alternative therapies that make use of herbal medicines.

 

The substance has now been officially banned from a number of national agencies that oversee the regulation of compounds such as aristolochic acid. In fact the FDA went as far as to say that any herbal medicine bottle contains the ingredients such as ‘Aristolochia,’ ‘Bragantia’ or ‘Asarum’ listed as ingredients on the label needs to be discontinued immediately and that if you have any of these medicines that you should dispose of them as soon as possible.

 

If you’re worried about the possibility of having them, this acid is commonly found in many Chinese medicines as a way to combat diarrhoea, coughing and joint pain, and also as an aid to weight loss, to improve the immune system and to relieve the pain of childbirth. If you have bought any Chinese medicines for these conditions it could be well worth looking at the labels to check if they use this acid as one of the ingredients. If so you should stop using this and talk to your doctor about potentially having kidney problems. It’s also a great idea to speak to your doctor generally if you’re thinking about unusual non-standard medicines as many can have other hazards for your health that you may not even know about.

Categories: acid, Aristolochic acid, chinese medicines, doctor, herbal, herbal medicines, kidney, kidney failure, medicines, medicines nbsp, people

3-day intl conference on traditional & alternative medicine begins in ...

The Omics Group is organising the three-day “International Conference and Exhibition on Traditional & Alternative Medicine” (Traditional Medicine-2013) at Radisson Blue Plaza Hotel at Banjara Hills, Hyderabad from December 9-11.

This year the theme of the conference is “Traditional and Alternative Medicine Development and Promotion”.

The 166th Omics Group Conference was inaugurated by Dr Anil K Mandal, Mandal Diabetes Research Foundation, USA; Mohammed R Khan, Principal Synergex Consulting, Canada and Dr Srinubabu Gedela, CEO of Omics  Group International.

Delivering the keynote address on “The sizzling herbal and traditional Chinese medicine market with focus on the hot issues”, Indian-origin Dr Mohammed R Khan, Principal of Synergy Consulting, Canada said recent times have seen phenomenal growth in the global herbal market. From a 1994 market estimate of $655 million, it has now grown to around $100 billion per year. And based on a WHO projection, global herbal market will reach the $5 trillion mark by 2050.

The reasons for surge in use of herbal medicine, he said the belief that conventional medicines are “unnatural” substances, and feel that “natural substances help the body build on its own resistance. Another probable factor involves the influence of the expanding cultural diversity within the North American population, with different cultural groups practicing customs involving traditional remedies. And according to JAMA, one in five individuals taking prescription medications also takes herbal remedies or supplements, he said.

Speaking about efficacy of herbal medicine he said, 25 per cent of modern medicines made from plants first used traditionally (WHO Fact sheet No 134, May 2003).  He also offered some examples such Willow bark (aspirin), foxglove (digitalis), angels trumpets (scopolamine), deadly nightshade (belladonna), cinchona (quinine), moldy clover (dicoumarol, coumarin), and the list goes on and on, he said.

Adding further on the efficacy of herbal medicine he said one of herbals major contribution is towards the evolution of surgical anaesthesia – poppy (opiates) for pain management, and curare for muscle relaxation. Based on IMS Top-line Industry Data (www.imshealth.com), narcotic analgesics (opiates) ranked amongst the top 15 global therapeutic classes, with 2010 sales of over $12 billion, he informed. The discovery of a species of Trillium (the Mexican yam), as the cheap and abundant source of steroids’ synthesis, created the hormonal contraception revolution, he informed.

He further informed a review on national pharmacopoeias from several countries revealed at least 120 distinct chemical substances from different plants that have utility as lifesaving drugs.

Speaking about the safety of herbal products quoting, HerbalGram, The Journal of the American Botanical Council, he said, “It is not possible to establish absolute safety for medicinal plant preparations based solely on epidemiological studies for a variety of reasons”. The WHO therefore published its “Research Guidelines for Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Herbal Medicines” in 1993 he informed. And added that, WHO made it clear that, “The historical use of an herbal substance is valid proof of its safety unless there is scientific evidence of danger. He informed that the WHO further said, “A guiding principle should be that if the product has been traditionally used without demonstrated harm, no specific regulatory action should be undertaken unless new evidence demands a revised risk-benefit assessment.”

Yet, some of the safety issues do need to be addressed includes: possibility of herb-drug interaction, effects on clinical laboratory tests and adulteration and contamination, he said.

Dr Anil K Mandal, another key note speaker from Mandal Diabetes Research Foundation from USA while giving his key note address said Diabetes care is in disarray mainly due to use of undefined classification of Type 2 diabetes. “In adult population diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes based on fasting blood glucose (FBG) level above 126mg/dL of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) above 6.5 per cent is misleading, he said. Worse than that is the immediate prescription of oral anti-diabetic agents such as metformin, glyburide, sitagliptin or a combination of these as well as an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker drug. The results are exhaustion of bet cells of the pancreas and depletion of insulin reserve with development of over diabetes and superimposed rental failure leading to prescription of dialysis therapy. All these complications can be averted if a two hours-oral glucose tolerance test or 2-h postprandial glucose (2hPPG) is obtained,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion Dr Srinubabu Gedela, CEO Omics  Group International which is organizing the event they are a global scientific event organizer and it is the 166th Conference and first of its kind on the subject in India. The conferences are organised in USA, China, Spain, UK and India. Omics  Group International IS a peer reviewed journal publisher and world-over scientific event organizer he said added that it published 400 plus free to access scientific journals for the benefit of scientific community. In the year 2014 alone it is organsing 100 plus scientific events and seminars across the globe he said. Headquartered in Hyderabad and offices in Henderson, Palo Alto, Los Angeles, and Romania, Omics  is acknowledged world over for its 400 Open Access journals, 25,000 Editorial team, 3 Million readers, and more than 1,00,000 facebook followers, he informed.

Among other issues to be discussed in the meet include challenges, opportunities in herbal medicines, trends, inventions, Research and Development in Traditional Medicine. The meet will also address issues related to herbal medicines. There will be a Panel Discussion on “Are alternative medicines overly regulated?: Controversies and Global implications”. The panel discussion will be facilitated by Dr Rao S Pippalla of Centre for PharmacoEconOmics  and Outcomes Research, India.

Around 200 delegates from over 12 countries has participating in the first ever global meet on traditional and alternative medicine in Hyderabad.

Categories: alternative medicine, consulting canada, dr srinubabu, gedela ceo, group international, herbal market, herbal medicine, herbal medicines, omics group

How to Choose the Best and Safest Herbal Medicine for You

Herbal medicine can be a great wellness tool, whether you crack out the echinacea when you feel a cold coming on, or deal with the musty taste of valerian to help induce sleep. However, the mistake many people make with herbal medicine is that they accentuate the “herbal” over the “medicine” – that is to say, they forget that that it can have a serious affect on your health if taken improperly. Therefore, you need to follow five sensible principles when considering herbal medicines.

 

1. Educate yourself: It’s important to do your homework with regards to complementary wellness, as it’s much easier to get it wrong. Not only do you need to know what herb will be the most beneficial to your wellbeing, but you also need to understand the level of effectiveness in each part of the herb, as the root, say, may be more potent than the flower or leaf. Stinging nettles, for example, are used in the treatment of benign prostate problems, and both the roots and flowers contain an anti-inflammatory compound known as scopoletin. However, only the roots have the steroid-like compounds that herbalists recommend if prostate problems affect your wellness, and so this part of the plant is best. Pass on supplements that don’t list the specific or right part of the herb.

 

2. Read the label: This is vital in all areas of health, not just in alternative therapies. If you put anything into your body, you should definitely know what it is! When it comes to herbal supplements, you’re looking for the scientific name of the herb, the part of the plant it uses (as you now know which part you’re after) and an expiration date. It’s also a good idea to find out the plant’s place of origin and whether it has been grown organically or wild-crafted (picked in the wild), but the labels don’t always specify this information, as it isn’t essential. The first three points, however, are, so don’t touch a supplement that doesn’t list the scientific name, part and expiration date.

 

3. Go for quality…: More often than not, bargain brands are sold in cheap, discount shops and it’s far better to stick with brands from reputable health-food stores. Due to a lack of regulation, herbal medicines don’t go through the same rigorous checks as pharmaceuticals, as manufacturers can use the “supplement” loophole – it’s only an add-on, not a replacement to a healthy diet, exercise or Western medical practises. This loophole means that herbal medicines can get away with all sorts of claims on the label or in the advertisements that aren’t necessarily true. Therefore, you need to be able to trust the provider as much as possible.

 

4. Don’t go for quantity: Sticking with single herbs is a good rule to follow when you’re starting out, unless you are recommended a specific formula by a trustworthy herbal practitioner. It’s like experimenting with cooking herbs; the best way is to use one at a time until you know how it tastes, and then you start blending them as you gain the knowledge and experience you need to make it work. With medicinal herbs you can apply the same principle; start off slowly, learn how each herb affects you, and then you can begin to blend them or use pre-made herbal formulas. Again, reading the label is key here as you need to know how much of each herb the formula contains.

 

5. Don’t do it alone: While these are all handy tips to get you started, you should never start using herbal medicine without the advice of a complementary wellness expert. Look online to find a healer who is qualified to practice herbal medicine, and consult him or her – and your GP – before taking anything new.

Categories: complementary wellness, expiration date, herb, herbal, herbal medicine, herbal medicines, medicine, nbsp, one at a time, prostate problems, quality, Read the label

How to Choose the Best and Safest Herbal Medicine for You

Herbal medicine can be a great wellness tool, whether you crack out the echinacea when you feel a cold coming on, or deal with the musty taste of valerian to help induce sleep. However, the mistake many people make with herbal medicine is that they accentuate the “herbal” over the “medicine” – that is to say, they forget that that it can have a serious affect on your health if taken improperly. Therefore, you need to follow five sensible principles when considering herbal medicines.

 

1. Educate yourself: It’s important to do your homework with regards to complementary wellness, as it’s much easier to get it wrong. Not only do you need to know what herb will be the most beneficial to your wellbeing, but you also need to understand the level of effectiveness in each part of the herb, as the root, say, may be more potent than the flower or leaf. Stinging nettles, for example, are used in the treatment of benign prostate problems, and both the roots and flowers contain an anti-inflammatory compound known as scopoletin. However, only the roots have the steroid-like compounds that herbalists recommend if prostate problems affect your wellness, and so this part of the plant is best. Pass on supplements that don’t list the specific or right part of the herb.

 

2. Read the label: This is vital in all areas of health, not just in alternative therapies. If you put anything into your body, you should definitely know what it is! When it comes to herbal supplements, you’re looking for the scientific name of the herb, the part of the plant it uses (as you now know which part you’re after) and an expiration date. It’s also a good idea to find out the plant’s place of origin and whether it has been grown organically or wild-crafted (picked in the wild), but the labels don’t always specify this information, as it isn’t essential. The first three points, however, are, so don’t touch a supplement that doesn’t list the scientific name, part and expiration date.

 

3. Go for quality…: More often than not, bargain brands are sold in cheap, discount shops and it’s far better to stick with brands from reputable health-food stores. Due to a lack of regulation, herbal medicines don’t go through the same rigorous checks as pharmaceuticals, as manufacturers can use the “supplement” loophole – it’s only an add-on, not a replacement to a healthy diet, exercise or Western medical practises. This loophole means that herbal medicines can get away with all sorts of claims on the label or in the advertisements that aren’t necessarily true. Therefore, you need to be able to trust the provider as much as possible.

 

4. Don’t go for quantity: Sticking with single herbs is a good rule to follow when you’re starting out, unless you are recommended a specific formula by a trustworthy herbal practitioner. It’s like experimenting with cooking herbs; the best way is to use one at a time until you know how it tastes, and then you start blending them as you gain the knowledge and experience you need to make it work. With medicinal herbs you can apply the same principle; start off slowly, learn how each herb affects you, and then you can begin to blend them or use pre-made herbal formulas. Again, reading the label is key here as you need to know how much of each herb the formula contains.

 

5. Don’t do it alone: While these are all handy tips to get you started, you should never start using herbal medicine without the advice of a complementary wellness expert. Look online to find a healer who is qualified to practice herbal medicine, and consult him or her – and your GP – before taking anything new.

Categories: complementary wellness, expiration date, herb, herbal, herbal medicine, herbal medicines, medicine, nbsp, one at a time, prostate problems, quality, Read the label