Herbs evaluation

It is not recommended to take saw patmdto as a tea because the active constituentsare not water soluble. Improvement can be seen after 1 to 3 months of therapy. It is usually recommended that the herb be taken for 6 months followed by evaluation by a primary health care provider. 

ConsumerLab.com is an independent testing company that evaluates whether certain dietary supplements have met their standardization claims. Dietary supplements that have been tested include herbs (ginkgo, saw palmetto, ginseng), vitamins (vitamin C), and others (glucosamine, chondroitin, SAMe). Products that meet the German testing standards are published at the ConsumerLab.com website [33]. 

Unfortunately, many clinical studies evaluating the efficacy of dietary supplements are flawed. Some of the flaws in the studies include non-randomization, being unblinded, lack of standardized products, small sample sizes, short treatment durations, and poorly defined inclusion and exclusion criteria. Many studies do not give detailed information about the dietary supplement used. When an herb is studied, the following information should be described plant species, part(s) used, product form (e.g., powdered crude herb, aqueous extract, ethanol extract, or aqueous alcohol extract) with stated proportions of water to alcohol, specifically extracted fractions, and quantities or concentrations used [48]. 

This chapter reviews recent findings about the health benefits of phytochemicals present in fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and herbs, including phenolics, carotenoids, sterols, and alkaloids. These phytochemicals are extracted using emerging technologies such as supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction, PEF, MWE, HPP, UE, and OH. The impact of important parameters related to sample preparation (particle size and moisture content) and extraction process (temperature, pressure, solvent flow rate, extraction time, and the use of a cosolvent) on the efficiency of extraction and on the characteristics of the extracted products is evaluated based on an extensive review of recent literature. The future of extraction of phytochemicals is certainly bright with the... 

Relatively few reports have examined the benefits or perils of herb combinations. Because the activity of a particular herb in a mixture might differ from its activity as a single component, it would be prudent to test the effects of prescribed formulas. The potential for herbal formulae to affect the immune system are increasingly being found in the use of Kampo (Japanese herbal) medicinals as described in an excellent review by Borchers and colleagues. [94], For example, Shosaiko-to is a seven-herb mixture that has been shown to protect patients from viral hepatitis via modulation of several cytokines such as IFN-a/p, G-CSF, and TNF-a. Animal studies have been conducted to evaluate the immunomodulatory effects of the various herbs in Shosaiko-to. Interestingly, four of its individual constituents induced several-fold higher levels of TNF-a when... 

About Herbs, a project of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (New York, New York), evaluates more than 300 herbs, dietary supplements, and "alternative" cancer treatments. Both "professional" and consumer versions are provided, but most of the professional information is readily understandable by la5q>eople. The articles are shorter than their counterparts in the Natural Medicines database, but they are researched and written quite well. 

Emotions are subjective mood states that interact reciprocally with cognitive processes. Personality refers to traits of emotion and behavior that are more stable over time. Normal and pathological emotional states can be measured, to some degree, with objective tests to quantify changes in mood over time (or after drug treatment). Thus, several clinical scales have been developed for anxiety, depression, and mania. These measures are particularly useful for evaluating the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic herbs. 

Several other herbs have weaker evidence for CNS depressant effects, but hold potential for further research and evaluation. Certain herbs have also had historical use for treating epilepsy, before the invention of several modern, very effective synthetic antiseizure medications. There is, at present, absolutely no evidence that the CNS depressant herbs will be effective or sufficient in the treatment of epilepsy. Much further research would be needed to support this contention. Further, withdrawal of current antiseizure medications would put an individual at high risk for recurrence or worsening of seizures. 

Blank I, Grosch W, Evaluation of potent odorants in dill seed and dill herb Anethum graveolens L.) by aroma extract dilution analysis,Sci 56 63-67, 1991. 

Milk thistle appears to be remarkably safe, with loose stools due to increased bile solubility and occasional allergic reactions being the common side effects. It has not been evaluated in children or in pregnant women. There are no known serious drug or herb interactions. 

Chadwick LR, Fong HHS. Herb quality assurance and standardization in herb-drug interaction evaluation and documentation. In Lam YW, Huang S-M, Hall SD, eds. Herbal Supplements—Drug Interactions. Taylor Francis, 2006. 

In recent years, natural products such as melatonin and herbs such as valerian have become popular over-the-counter remedies for insomnia. There are no comprehensive evaluations of safety and efficacy of these products. Beyond questions of safety and efficacy, there is no consensus on what their doses should be. Nevertheless, these products continue to be used widely by some patients. 

Echinacea. Studies have so far found no drug interactions for this herb. In Germany, echinacea is often combined with antibiotics to treat bacterial infections, although no studies have evaluated the safety or effectiveness of this combination. 

Bratman, Steven, and David J. Kroll. Clinical Evaluation of Medicinal Herbs and Other Therapeutic Natural Products. Roseville, CA Prima Publishing, 1999. 

Increased alcohol concentrations augment the aldehyde, ester, phenol contents, TSS but decrease acidity and Vitamin C content. Addition of the herb/spice extract increased total phenols, aldehyde, and ester content of the vermouth. Sensory evaluation showed the sweet products were... 

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