Herbal Supplements

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Herbal Supplements
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Important Facts

• Use of plant derived products to promote health
  and relieve symptoms of disease
• Form of alternative medicine
• Can be sold without a prescription, as long as
  labeled dietary supplements
• Regulated under Dietary Supplement Health and
  Education Act of 1994
• Can be manufactured and marketed without giving
  FDA any proof they are safe or effective

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Package Labeling

• Must not claim that product can be used to
  diagnose, prevent, or treat disease
• Allowed to make claims about the products
  ability to favorably influence body structure or
  function
• No assurance that product actually contains
  ingredients listed, or in stated amounts
• May contain ingredients not listed, or may lack
  ingredients that are listed

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Adverse Effects

• Product presumed safe, until proven hazardous
• Burden for proving danger lies with FDA, not the
  manufacturer

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Impurities and Variability

• No regulation on manufacturing of herbal products
• Impurities common
• Uniformity among herbal products generally
  lacking
• Dosage not standardized
• The word natural is not synonymous with safe

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Black Cohosh

• Popular treatment for acute symptoms of
  menopause, including hot flashes, vaginal
  dryness, palpitations, depression, irritability,
  and sleep disturbance
• May potentiate
• Hypotensive effects of antihypertensives
• Hypoglycemic effects of insulin and oral
  hypoglycemics
• Effects of estrogens

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Echinacea

• Oral
• Stimulate immune function
• Suppress inflammation
• Treat viral infections
• Topical
• Treat wounds, burns, eczema, psoriasis and herpes
  simplex
• Long term use can oppose effects of
  immunosuppressant drugs
• Belongs to daisy family of plants (ragweed,
  asters, chamomile, and chrysanthemums) people
  allergic to any of these are at increased risk of
  reaction

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Feverfew

• Prophylaxis and treatment of migraine
• Relieve fever
• Stimulate menstruation
• Reduce upset stomach
• Suppress inflammation
• Topically to treat infection and relieve
  toothache
• Belongs to same plant family as echinacea
• Can suppress platelet aggregation

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Garlic

• Used primarily for effects on cardiovascular
  system
• Lower cholesterol
• Reduce blood pressure
• Significant antiplatelet effects
• Can increase insulin levels

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Ginger Root

• To suppress nausea and vomiting
• Improve appetite
• Reduce flatulence
• Anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties
• Can suppress platelet aggregation

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Ginkgo Biloba

• Improve memory, sharpen concentration and promote
  clear thinking
• Treatment of dizziness, vertigo, tinnitus,
  headache and mood changes
• Counteract erectile dysfunction induced by
  antidepressants
• Suppresses coagulation

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Goldenseal

• Treat bacterial, fungal and protozoal infections
  of mucous membranes
• Treat inflammation of gallbladder
• Correct metabolic sequelae of liver cirrhosis
• Treatment for skin and eye irritations
• Can stimulate uterus

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Kava

• Relieve anxiety
• Promote sleep
• Relax muscles
• Can intensify effects of other CNS depressants

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Ma Huang

• Identical to that of pharmaceutical ephedrine
• Reduce appetite and increase energy
• Relieve bronchospasm
• Suppress symptoms of allergies, influenza and
  colds
• (Ephedra) - potentially dangerous product
• Can interact with wide variety of drugs

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Valerian

• Used to promote sleep and reduce restlessness
• No data on possible interactions with other CNS
  depressants or with any other drugs that affect
  CNS function

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St. Johns Wort

• Used to relieve depression
• Can cause severe photosensitivity reactions
• Can decrease therapeutic effects of many drugs