Herbal and Natural Remedies

It has become apparent to many social workers that clients are starting to rely on herbal medications and preparations in order to obtain an increased sense of control over their physical and mental health and wellness. At a recent workshop, it was obvious to these authors just how much interest there was in learning more in this area. The workshop was scheduled for 7 30 a.m. and was titled Herbal Medications and Social Work Practice. It was held at a state conference sponsored by the National 

Today the herbal industry is a booming one with few if any government requirements. Due to the competition in the herbal market, manufacturers are coming out with herbal combinations to prevent rival manufacturers from duplicating their product. According to Professor Varro E. Tyler 

Capsicum (dried ripe fruit [cayenne]) muscle spasms, arthritis, topical shingles (decreases itching) 

Chaste tree berry (fruit of the Vitex angus-castus) premenstrual syndrome Dong quai (dried root) menopausal symptoms, premenstrual syndrome Echinacea (purple coneflower) inunune system booster, topical, preventative Feverfew (dried leaves) migraines Garlic (fresh dried bulb) cholesterol 

Ginger (fresh dried root [rhizome]) nausea and vomiting, digestive aid, used in 

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Alternative metlicine mind and body therapeutic touch (e.g., acupressure), chiropractic approaches, and herbal and natural remedies... 

In recent years, Americans and others have tended to rely less and less on modern, scientific medical practices and remedies for treating many medical conditions. Popular magazines, television shows, and newspapers routinely include stories about alternative medical treatments, aromatherapy, herbal and natural remedies, magnet therapy, touch therapy, psychic healing, acupuncture, and homeopathy. The debate over the efficacy of such treatments continues. It is safe to say, however, that most, if not all, of these treatment methods have not been subjected to the same rigorous scientific standards as most modern medical practices and treatments. 

Traditional herbal and homeopathic remedies that are supplied as natural treatments for medical conditions or diseases are subject to regulation as drugs, for example St. John s wort. 

Herbal or natural remedies are a multibillion dollar business that is largely unregulated by government agencies. Herbal products are readily available and are claimed to improve health, but they also contain many physiologically active... 

In the United States, the use of products, including botanicals, thought to fall within the realm of complementary and alternative medicine is very common. It is difficult to obtain reliable estimates of use or to compare many of the current publications in this area because of diverse definitions for categorizing these products (e.g., dietary supplement, food supplement, herbal medicine, natural remedy, traditional medicine, etc.) in both the United States and elsewhere. A recent report on the use of complementary and alternative medicine by U.S. adults in 2002 indicated that approximately 19% of the population used nonvitamin, nonmineral, and natural products, 19% used folk medicine, and 3% used megavitamin therapy in the past 12 months (1). 

Despite the controversy and the reluctance of those from the traditionalist perspective, the use of these alternative herbal medicinal preparations continues to grow. In the past, modem medicine has referred to herbal preparations and natural remedies with disdain, believing that these methods were quackery, and these alternative practice were not considered threatening to mainstream medical practice because they had little if any scientific basis to support their use. With the subsequent shifts to avoid the traditional medical model, many other avenues are now being viewed as reasonable alternatives. People want control of their lives and in many cases want to take an active role in securing what is good for their... 

Because of the interest in and popularity of alternative and complementary medicines and healing practices, the scientific method is being applied to a wide variety of these remedies. Different types of studies seek to establish if and how individual, alternative medicines exert their effect. Clinical trials are being conducted to compare a specific alternative medicines with the accepted conventional medical standard of care for a specific condition thus, for example, an herbal extract may be compared with a pharmaceutical-grade drug to demonstrate unequivocally the safety and effectiveness of a product or practice. However, complementary and alternative medicine has only recently been deemed worthy of scientific scrutiny (for decades many natural remedies and practices were dismissed outright as being obviously inferior to Western science-based medicine), and many alternative therapies have not yet been... 

A few weeks earher he had diagnosed himself with mild depression, and he d known exactly what to do about it. He d seen stories about the potential benefits of the herbal remedy St. John s wort in all kinds of tabloids and magazines, and here was his chance to give it a try. It never crossed his mind to check with his doctors first, since St. John s wort was a natural remedy, and therefore (supposedly) completely safe. But the effects of drugs on our bodies can be very complex and sometimes mysterious. While the mechanism by which St. John s wort carries out its antidepressant effect is not clear, researchers have been able to identify an unwelcome side effect. Some component in St. John s wort stimulates the production of an enzyme with the cryptic name of cyp3a, one of a number of... 

Natural First Aid Herbal Treatments for Ailments and Injuries Emergency Preparedness Wilderness Safety, by Brigitte Mars. Also in Storey s Medicinal Herb Guide series, this book offers quick, effective, and natural first aid suggestions for everything from ant bites to wounds. Include recipes for simple home remedies and recommends for a stocking a first aid kit for home or travel. 144 pages. Paperback. ISBN 1-58017-147-8. 

The photos on the front cover were taken by and belong to (left) Use Grebe, (middle and right) Swedish Herbal Institute, Gothenburg the only producer of natural remedies in Sweden having their own cultivation and extraction units. 

It has been a privilege and a pleasure for me to have had the opportunity to work with Finn Sandberg on the development of this introductory text on Natural Remedies which form the basis of the rapidly expanding use of phytotherapy and herbal medicine. We hope that it will be used by students in the healthcare professions, particularly by pharmacy students but also by medical students and those enrolled on courses leading to degrees and other qualifications in herbalism and complementary medicine. 

One of the biggest concerns facing social workers who accept and support these types of medicines is the client s assumption that herbals are natural and therefore must be safe. Yet considering their long history and tradition as medicinal remedies, it is surprising that so little research has been done to quantify their effectiveness. 

Herbal medications are natural remedies for treating various ailments. Often these are traditional remedies that can date back hundreds of years and are still used today. 

One of the most important herbal books in history is the ve-volume book De Materia Medica, written by the Greek physician and botanist Pedanius Dioscorides (ca. 40-90), who practiced in ancient Rome. In the course of his numerous travels all over the Roman and Greek world seeking for medicinal plants, he described more than 500 medicinal plants and respective remedies. His treatise, which may be considered a precursor of modern pharmacopoeias, was later translated into a variety of languages. Dioscorides, as well as his contemporary Plirty the Elder (23-79), a Roman natural historian, mention besides other facts turpentine oil and give some limited information on the methods in its preparation. 

Contributions Toward a Flora of Nevada 33. U.S. Dept, of Agriculture, Washington, DC Trevelyan M (1909) Folk-lore and folk-stories of Wales. Elliot Stock, London Tshiteya RM (2007) Herbal medicines for common ailments a quick reference guide. Natural Remedies, Alexandria, VA... 

Plant toxins which act as hepatotoxins or abortifacients do not act as acute toxins. Their toxicity is of a more subtle, insidious nature with few outward manifestations until shortly before death (hepatotoxins) or abortion (abortifacients). In the case of range animals, the site and degree of exposure of a group of animals will often go unnoticed until an animal succumbs or aborts leaving the rancher with little information about either the toxic source or the location. The mode of action of these toxins dictates their consideration as toxins to humans, particularly in relation to their possible inclusion in herbal medicines and natural home remedies. 

In many developing countries of the world, there is still a major reliance on crude drug preparation of plants used in traditional medicines for their primary health care. Pharmacognosists employed in the different institutions are aware of the changing trends of herbal medications and a number of useful texts on the analysis, uses, and potential toxicities of herbal remedies have appeared recently, which serves as useful guides in pharmacy practice. The history of medicine includes many ludicrous therapies. Nevertheless, ancient wisdom has been the basis of modem medicine and will remain as one important source of future medicine and therapeutics. The future of natural products drug discovery will be more holistic, personahzed and involve the wise use of ancient and modem therapeutic skills in a complementary manner so that maximum benefits can be accmed to the patients and the community. 

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