Health Wise

Herbs as Remedies

by Nana

Herbal remedies

Humans’ reliance on plants has been constant from prehistoric days. Plants have provided shelter, clothing, fuel and nourishment to our bodies, not only as food sources but also as medicinals, for thousands and thousands of years. Ancient records from China, Egypt, Sumeria, Greece and Rome tell of specific applications of herbal remedies for various human ailments. Healers were often women herbalists, who knew the properties of regional plants, grown in various conditions and harvested in different ways.

Modern pharmacology is rooted, so to speak, in these plant remedies. Many manufactured drugs are derived from plants that had traditionally been used “crudely” to treat the same symptoms: aspirin from willow bark, digitalis from foxglove, morphine from opium and so on. In many parts of the world, herbal remedies still constitute the major source of pharmaceutical care. Over half of the modern pharmaceuticals in America are derived from natural sources (plant, microbial, even animal), and it remains the practice of pharmaceutical companies to research botanicals for compounds that can be synthesized (and therefore patented) and marketed as drugs.

An advantage of a synthesized compound is guaranteed potency. An herbalist working with wildcrafted plants knows that no two plants are exactly alike, and no two harvests. The efficacy of herbal medicines cannot be easily standardized, much as vintages of wine cannot be identical. Even the application of herbal remedies cannot necessarily be standardized. Native American herbalists are usually reluctant to share their botanical knowledge with non-Natives, because they believe strongly that the efficacy of various remedies has as much to do with the cultural and spiritual context of the patient as with the plants.

Plants themselves are extremely sophisticated chemical laboratories, whose raw material happens to be evolved from the same elements as our own bodies. It is not surprising that we can make use of their chemistry. Phytochemicals, or plant chemicals, have broad ranges of biological activity. For those of us who are beginning to appreciate the folk wisdom of our ancestors, many of whom were burned as witches for practicing herbal medicine, there is an instinctive attraction to the medicinal use of plants.

As the costs in dollars and sense of modern allopathic medicine rise, cheap, “natural,” herbal remedies are very appealing. There is a current marketing boom in the sales of herbal products, fueled by manufacturers’ promotion and consumers’ disenchantment with modern medical practice. At this time, it is legally forbidden to make medical claims for these herbal products other than to state how they affect the structure and function of the body (where this has been researched), and your health food store retailer is not allowed to recommend specific remedies to you, only show you where you may do some reading on the herbs so that you can choose something for yourself. There are many books published on herbs and botanical medicine.

Many herbal remedies remain scientifically untested, but for quite a few of them, centuries of use have established substantial evidence of safety and efficacy. A list of some of these, and their suggested applications, follows. Keep in mind that use of any medicine, including herbal, to treat a serious health problem should be monitored by a health professional. Naturopathic doctors are trained in herbal medicine and can be specifically helpful in advising you with applications for your needs.

Aloe, or the gel from the spiny leaf of the aloe vera plant, is used topically to treat burns and skin disorders, including acne, and is often taken internally to improve the function of the digestive tract.

Cayenne is used to promote good digestion and, in some cases, to treat circulatory disorders. It acts as a thermoregulator, affecting both the regulation of body temperature and sensitivity to warm temperatures.

Echinacea is by now recognized by many Americans as an herbal remedy for the common cold and flu. It isn’t an antibiotic but boosts the immune system and the production of white blood cells. The original “snake oil” marketed by traveling salesmen included echinacea in its ingredients. If taken immediately after a snake bite, echinacea is said to help prevent toxins from affecting the body. Typically, however, echinacea is used to shorten the duration and lessen the severity of colds.

Ephedra, or ma huang, is one of the most popular herbs in the United States. It is marketed primarily as a stimulant, for “energy” and weight loss, as it affects the central nervous system. In so doing, it can enhance the metabolic rate and increase the burning of fat. Ephedra is also a bronchodilator and nasal decongestant that has been used in Chinese traditional medicine for coughs, colds, asthma and allergies. Pseudoephedrine has been created synthetically for many years and is an ingredient in many over-the-counter cold remedies. Ephedra has significant stimulant side effects. Herbal products containing ephedra have not been standardized for their stimulant level, so the possibility of over- or under-dosing is notable. Potential drug interactions should be taken seriously.

Garlic is perhaps the most widely used herbal remedy in the world. It is effective as an antiseptic and is used extensively to treat infections, both externally and systemically. There have been many studies on garlic’s effect on serum cholesterol and triglycerides, and it is approved as an over-the-counter drug as an adjunct to diet control of lipid levels and as a preventative to age-related vascular changes.

Ginger is another culinary herb that is used to aid digestion. It is frequently very effective at countering nausea or motion sickness, with none of the drowsiness associated with other systemic drugs.

Gingko biloba extract, from the leaves of the gingko tree, has been used as a medicinal in China for thousands of years and is one of the most widely used prescription herbal medications in Europe. It is a vasodilator that has been studied as a treatment boosting blood supply to the brain and to lower legs and feet when the supply has been insufficient. It is popular as a remedy to improve short-term memory.

Kava extract is made from the root of the kava kava plant, which grows in the islands of the South Pacific. It acts as a relaxant and anti-anxiety aid without affecting mental clarity. Traditionally, Polynesians have used kava as a ceremonial drink for religious and social purposes, as it encourages emotional peace and spiritual awareness.

Milk thistle is used widely in Europe to support healthy liver function and is found in many hospital emergency rooms as an antidote to several kinds of poisons.

Saw palmetto is an indigenous American plant shown in several studies in Europe to be effective in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia, although none of these studies was long-term. It is believed that saw palmetto alleviates the symptoms of an enlarged prostate without actually reducing it in size.

St. John’s wort, or hypericum, is a perennial herb recommended by Hippocrates and widely named in many of the medieval herbal texts. It was used to drive away evil spirits, which translates into a modern anti-depressant function, as well as an anti-inflammatory agent and treatment for wounds. It is of renewed interest today not so much for those purposes as because of its activity against retroviruses, which makes it a possible treatment for AIDS.

General guidelines for using botanical supplements reflect common sense:

• Do not exceed the recommended dosage without professional advice.
• Discontinue use if side effects are noted.
• Purchase herbal products from known and trusted sources.
• Do not use potent botanicals while pregnant or nursing without a qualified health practitioner’s supervision.
• Seek the advice of a qualified practitioner before using botanicals to treat serious illnesses.
• Store botanicals out of the reach of children, in a cool, dry environment, and discard any products over one year old (unless the label instructs differently).
• If you are taking prescription medicine or over-the-counter drugs, ask a pharmacist about possible interactions with any botanicals you wish to use.

Source: Croom and Walker, “Botanicals in the Pharmacy: New Life for Old Remedies,” Drug Topics Magazine, November 6, 1995.

Homeopathic drugs

Homeopathic remedies are also derived only from plant, mineral or animal sources. They are classified as drugs and are defined by the guidelines, procedures and monographs of the Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States. Homeopathic products that are monographed in the pharmacopoeia are designated as “official” and must meet specific criteria for inclusion. As such, they are regulated by the federal government. Homeopathic products that are not included in the pharmacopoeia are designated “nonofficial” or “nonmonograph” and their use in homeopathy must be supported by homeopathic literature, research or a foreign pharmacopoeia.

Because they are recognized as drugs, homeopathic medicines can make specific health claims and are sold like over-the-counter drugs. Added to the facts that they are derived from natural sources and administered in easy-to-take form, this has contributed to the increase in popularity in these alternative medicines. Homeopathic medicines are formulated in very small dilutions and therefore are safe even for children.

Remedies from rocks

Remedy may be too strong a word for minerals, unless nutrients can be considered remedies for malnutrition. Reflect that, just as we share our biochemistry with the plants on this planet, we share elements with the rocks and minerals. Calcium, boron, copper, tin and many other trace minerals used to be present in our soil to a much larger degree than they are now, and our ancestors’ diets were full of them. Maybe it is coincidence, but the groups of humans who boast very long life spans as a norm all tend to live in high, dry places, where they rely on glacial “milk” for their drinking water as well as for agricultural irrigation. This glacial run-off is dense with minerals broken down from the mountain rocks. These populations are not necessarily eating diets that are well-balanced in vitamins, but they have very little disease.

Veterinarians have long since included trace minerals in the feed for livestock and pets, providing minerals in a more complete way than in the formulas we feed infants instead of breast milk. Pets don’t get sick as often as our children do. Vets have also learned when the application of various nutrients can correct a physical problem that would typically be addressed with expensive drugs or surgery if detected in humans.

My guess is that as we humans become more familiar with our body chemistry, the science of nutrition will become even more sophisticated than medical science is today, which will look crude and ignorant in retrospect. No doubt a great deal of folk health wisdom, accrued over centuries of awareness of human interactions with the world, will be validated.