Herbal Remedies
Practitioners say they are safe and effective, but caution against combining them with drugs
By Luanne J. Hunt, Special to the Press-Telegram
LONG BEFORE THE invention of prescription drugs, the remedy for many illnesses was often as close as the kitchen cupboard. These age-old treatments included a variety of culinary herbs, such as ginger, garlic, oregano, cardamom, turmeric, rosemary, cinnamon, peppermint and parsley. They were used to treat everything from insomnia to infectious diseases.
In the Middle Ages, garlic was the herb of choice to combat the bubonic plague, according to the Herb Research Foundation. The organization’s Web site also states that during World War I, European soldiers prevented infection by putting garlic directly on their wounds.
Additionally, HRF says Panax ginseng was used in ancient times as a health enhancing tonic and to increase physical stamina. And for more than 4,000 years, Chinese herbalists have relied on ginko biloba to treat asthma, bronchitis and brain disorders.
Today, many people take garlic tablets to boost their immune system and ward off colds and flus. And the popular energy-boosting ginseng can be found in everything from tea to tablets.
But are herbs safe? And do they really work?
The American Medical Association states on its Web site that the therapeutic benefits of herbal remedies remain inconclusive, and does not recommend the sole use of these remedies to treat disease without scientific evidence regarding their safety or efficacy.
RESOURCES
Glenn Hensle Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine, 3620 Long Beach Blvd., Suite C11, Long Beach, (562) 997-0966, www.acupuncture longbeach.com
East Village Wellness Center, 354 E. Fourth St., Long Beach, (562) 983-1400,
American Botanical Council, (512) 926-4900, www.herbalgram.org
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, (888) 644-6226, www.nccam.nih.gov
Physicians Desk Reference for Herbal Medicines ($59.95/Thomson Healthcare)
But many practitioners and patients disagree, and point to centuries of use and current studies as evidence of the effectiveness and safety of herbs. They do, however, caution against combining herbs with drugs.
“In general, I think you’re pretty safe taking most supplements, but you certainly should tell your doctor about anything you’re taking regularly, particularly if you’re also taking either prescription or over-the-counter drugs,” Dr. Andrew Weil, a physician and author of several best-selling books on health, said in the Q&A section on his Web site, www.drweil.com.
Weil is founder and director of the Program in Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona and is one of the leading proponents of integrative medicine, which is an approach that combines conventional medical treatments with herbal remedies, acupuncture and nutritional supplements.
“Both patients and doctors should be aware of interactions between drugs and remedies taken simultaneously,” Weil said. “Just as there are drug-drug interactions, there are also drug-herb interactions, and they can affect treatment outcomes.”
TWENTY POPULAR HERBS AND THEIR THERAPEUTIC USES
Aloe - sunburn, infections, burns, psoriasis
Astragalus - colds, flu
Black cohosh - PMS, menstrual cramps, hot flashes, high blood pressure
Chamomile - digestive disorders, ulcers, menstrual cramps, arthritis
Dandelion - gallstones, PMS, high blood pressure, yeast infections
Echinacea - colds, flu, wounds, weakened immune system
Ginger - motion sickness, morning sickness, high cholesterol, ulcers, arthritis, menstrual cramps, colds, flu
Ginko biloba - memory loss, chronic dizziness, chronic ringing in the ears, macular degeneration
Ginseng - low energy, impaired mental function, appetite loss, impotence
Goldenseal- infections, digestive disorders, heavy menstruation
Horse Chestnut - varicose veins, hemorrhoids, arthritis
Lavender - anxiety, insomnia, wounds, digestive disorders, menstrual cramps
Garlic - urinary tract infections, vaginal infections, chemical toxicity, high cholesterol
Licorice - arthritis, canker sores, herpes, infections, hot flashes
Passionflower - insomnia, digestive disorders, menstrual cramps, wounds
Peppermint - pain, indigestion, headaches, cough, congestion
Senna - constipation
St. John’s Wart - mild depression, viral infections, wounds
Uva Ursi - urinary tract infections, premenstrual bloating, wounds, diarrhea
Valerian - insomnia, high blood pressure
- From “The New Healing Herbs” by Michael Castleman ($7.99, Bantam Books).
Note: This information is not intended as a substitute for medical treatment and/or medication.
Herbs have side effects, too
Long Beach-based herbalist and licensed acupuncturist Glenn Hensle said there is an overall lack of knowledge about the potential side effects of herbs and how they can negatively interact with certain medications.
For instance, kava, an herb used as a muscle relaxant and pain reliever, should not be taken with antidepressants and antipsychotic drugs. And he says feverfew, which is a popular herb for migraine headaches, should never be taken with any other migraine medications. The interaction of the two remedies can cause a person’s heart rate and blood pressure to rise to dangerous levels.
Taking too much goldenseal, a natural treatment for cough, stomach upset and arthritis, can result in severe gastrointestinal distress, Hensle said.
“Someone who practices herbal medicine really has to know what they’re doing or they can cause someone harm,” said Hensle, who set up his practice in Long Beach in 2001. “All too often, potential drug interactions are not looked at. If an herbalist doesn’t tell you what’s in it and how it’s going to work, that should be a big red flag.”
Herbs over the ages
Hensle said the practice of treating illnesses with herbs began more than 5,000 years ago in China. Europe and India adopted the practice 3,000 years ago. While all three geographical regions had different approaches to how they formulated herbal remedies, they shared a common belief that healing was found in nature.
By the 16th century, most medical systems around the world had adopted the use of herbal medicine. But the tide began to change in the late 1800s with the development of Western medicine, which utilizes pharmaceuticals and surgery to treat disease.
In the early 1900s, natural medicine became almost obsolete in Western civilization. It has only been in recent years that herbs have begun to regain their reputation as healing agents.
How to take herbs
Herbs can be consumed in a variety of ways. The most common are in the form of teas, capsules or tinctures (liquid preparations). Hensle prefers capsules because he says the formulas used to make teas in Chinese herbal medicine take longer to prepare and are not very palatable.
“Liquids are more quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, but still, the teas taste horrible,” Hensle said. “It’s been my experience if you get good quality pills, they are almost as effective as the teas.”
According to Hensle, the shelf life for most herbs in pill or tablet form is three to five years. He also said fresh, unprocessed herbs will have an odor. If they do not smell, at least a little, Hensle says they are most likely breaking down and advises to throw them away.
Julie James, owner of the East Village Wellness Center in Long Beach, has additional guidelines regarding the storage of herbs. James is a master herbalist and certified nutritional consultant who has been in practice for 25 years.
“Certain herbs, like peppermint, have volatile oils and break down very quickly,” said James, who opened her health food store in 2003. “These oils only stay good for about three to six months.
“But then other types of herbs that are rich in minerals, such as iron-rich yellowdock, will never break down. In my opinion, the shelf life really comes down to the chemicals in the herb.”
Treating with herbs
In treating conditions with herbs, Hensle has found that some work more quickly than conventional medicines and some take a much longer time to be effective. As an example, he cites rhubard root, which is often given for severe constipation.
“This root works much faster than conventional remedies,” said Hensle. “But that’s not the case with all herbs. Every formula is different and there are many factors that determine how long they will take to work.”
Deborah Jackson recently found fast relief through an herbal remedy for a condition called “plum pit qi.” The symptoms of this condition are feeling as though something is stuck in your throat.
Jackson went to her doctor, who, she said, wanted to do invasive tests to diagnose and treat her condition. She then consulted Hensle, who gave her an herbal formula.
“I did not want to go through uncomfortable tests, so I consulted with Dr. Hensle,” said Jackson, a resident of Signal Hill. “He gave me the herbs and after taking them for two weeks, I feel so much better.”
Mike Blasetti was having a localized stabbing pain in his chest. Hensle, who believed the problem was more emotional than physical, gave him an herbal formula that Blasetti says helped him almost immediately.
“I was very worried about the pain in my chest, but I started taking the herbs Dr. Hensle gave me and about three days later, I was feeling pretty good,” said Blasetti, 24, who owns Blasetti Construction in Long Beach. “I’m all about natural health, so if I can take something that’s not synthetic, that’s all the better.”
Although Hensle is an advocate for natural health remedies, he places a great deal of value on Western medicine. He said he would like to see practitioners in both fields work more closely to determine how to combine both herbal and conventional medicine for chronic and terminal diseases.
“A lot of Western doctors don’t think herbs work, but they are the basis for many prescription drugs,” Hensle said. “Aspirin comes from white willow and Valium comes from valerian root. And the weight-loss drug ephedra is actually another herb known as Mormon’s Tea.”
In recent years, there have been at least two deaths related to ephedra. As a result of these deaths, the sale of over-the-counter dietary supplements containing ephedra is illegal.
“Ephedra is speed and that’s why it’s behind the counter,” said Hensle. “It can accelerate your heart rate so much that if you are working out, it could cause an aneurism or your heart to blow out.”
Herbal supplements act in the same way as drugs and can create medical problems when not taken in the correct dosage. Because of the potential risks and side effects, Hensle and other herbalists recommend consulting a reputable practitioner who has been properly trained in herbal medicine.
In addition, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine says that women who are pregnant or nursing should use extreme caution in using herbs. This warning also applies to treating children with herbal preparations.
“I think that many consumers and medical professionals are simply not educated about healing properties in herbs,” said Mark Blumenthal, founder and executive director of the American Botanical Council, a nonprofit organization that provides education to promote the responsible use of herbal medicine.
“But the bottom line is, there are at least 10,000 herbs known to have medicinal value and there’s so much more we need to learn about them. I’ve been studying this for 35 years and feel I’ve only scratched the surface.”
Luanne J. Hunt is a Hesperia freelance writer.
Source: San Bernardino County Sun
