Dr Ron Roberts
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 And of course you don't have to make your own remedies: health food shops carry prepared herbal medicines and formulas, as will any practising herbalist. You should also consult a herbalist for further recommendations if the common herbal remedies for asthma do not improve your condition. |
Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
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 The Physicians Desk Reference for herbal medicines says that when applied topically, arnica preparations have demonstrated "wound healing, antiseptic, and mild analgesic properties." Just don't ingest the whole plant—or parts of it—in some homemade version.
Don't take arnica when you're pregnant, and don't put the topical preparations on broken skin. People with a known sensitivity to members of the daisy family, such as chamomile, marigold, or yarrow, should avoid arnica preparations. |
Brigitte Mars, A.H.G.
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 One of my favorite simples is nettles.
But herbal medicines need not be limited to using a single plant at a time. Many wonderful medicines with great flavor and therapeutic potential can be made by blending herbs. When you are creating your own formulas by mixing herbs together, it is helpful to know as much as possible about their effects, and of course about any possible side effects, in order to evaluate their potential synergy. However, don't be afraid to play around with combinations of herbs that are generally regarded as safe. |
Ann M. Coulston and Carol J. Boushey
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 Evidence for the use of nutritional supplements and herbal medicines in common eye diseases. Am. J. Ophthal. 141, 157-166.
234. Klein, R., and Klein, B. (1995). Vision disorders in diabetes, In "Diabetes in America" (M. I. Harris, C. C. Cowie, M. P. Stern, E.J. Boyko, G. E, Reiber, and P. H. Bennett, Eds.), pp. 293-338. NIH, National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIH Publ. No. 95-1468), U. S. Government Printing Office, Bethesda, MD.
235. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. |
David Winston, RH(AHG), and Steven Maimes
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 Some of the change simply is due to the increased study and use of herbal medicines; the more something is used, the more likely idiosyncratic effects and side effects will be noted. Some of the change has to do with the media's desire to sell newspapers or get you to watch their TV stations. Fear and controversy sell. The orthodox American medical community never has trusted herbs. The thinking is that if it doesn't come from a major pharmaceutical manufacturer with the approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), it must be useless, or dangerous, or both. |
| Chinese herbal medicines, compared with those of other countries, are unsurpassed in number, sophistication, and documentation (although mostly in Chinese). China has emerged as a world leader in medicinal plant research.
Classic Texts
The classic Chinese treatise on medicine, the Huang Di Nei Cbing Su Wen (Yellow Emperor's Classic of Internal Medicine) is considered the most important Chinese medical text and the most ancient. |
| Today, this is an extremely valuable body of experiential knowledge that describes the successful clinical use of herbal medicines in a time without antibiotics or the advances of modern medical technology.
Naturopathic medicine (which includes the use of botanicals) shares some historical roots with Eclectic medicine and today integrates traditional natural therapeutic agents with modern scientific medical diagnoses.
From the 1920s into the 1960s, the United States entered into a period of time that could be called the "herbal Dark Ages. |
| Herbal Medicine in Europe
In Europe, especially in Germany, herbal medicines (known there as phytomedicines) are prescribed like other medications and enjoy widespread scientific and medical support. All German medical students must learn phytomedicine, and approximately 80 percent of German physicians regularly use plant medications in their practice. In England, herbalists are recognized health care providers. This is also true in Australia. |
Marshall Editions
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 Standardized extracts of boswellia can be purchased in stores that sell herbal medicines; to treat rheumatoid arthritis, approximately 3,600 mg of such an extract should be taken, divided three times per day. Some people experience stomach upset or heartburn when taking boswellia extracts orally. Ointments and creams that contain boswellia can also be purchased and applied topically to swollen and painful joints; sometimes, dermatitis can develop with these products. |
David Winston, RH(AHG), and Steven Maimes
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| Phytotherapy is the term primarily used in Europe for the treatment and prevention of disease by using herbal medicines. The prefix phyto- refers to plants.
Medicinal plants can be found in every region of the world. James Duke, PhD, a recently retired botanist for the United States Department of Agriculture, put together a database that includes eighty thousand plants with more than twenty thousand species throughout the world that can be documented as being used for medicinal purposes. |
Marshall Editions
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| HERBALISM
Antimicrobial botanicals: Some herbal medicines act to kill the bacteria or viruses responsible for food poisoning. For example, licorice root, purple coneflower root, and osha root may all fight food poisoning stemming from infections. Tinctures of these roots can be taken several times a day during the acute phase of food poisoning.
Berberine: This alkaloid has been studied for its ability to combat gastrointestinal infections, and could also be useful for food poisoning. |
| HERBALISM
Those with diverticulitis generally require antibiotics. herbal medicines should primarily be used in conjunction with conventional therapy.
Slippery elm: There is evidence that diverticulosis, which is the condition that can lead to diverticulitis, occurs at higher rates in people who have a low-fiber diet. It may be possible to prevent diverticulosis from developing by
^ taking adequate amounts of fiber daily. |
Dr Ron Roberts
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| So it is with many herbal medicines: they contain small but natural amounts of drugs that do have real effects on many conditions. Because they are sourced from plants they do not just contain one ingredient, as a pharmaceutical drug will, but can have a number of active principles, and so may help the overall health of a patient, not just attacking the immediate symptoms.
Herbalism has a long history in many cultures, as well as China. Remedies prepared from various plants were used in ancient Greek and Egyptian civilisations. |
Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D. Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D. Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D.
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 The 1998 edition of the German Commission E Monographs, considered to be an authoritative source on herbal medicines, does not mention liver disease in its discussion of kava's side effects.15 Since that time, four case reports of kava-related liver toxicity have appeared in medical journals.16,17,18,19 In two of these cases, severe liver failure resulted in the need for a liver transplant. Most, though not all, of the individuals who developed liver damage while taking kava were also taking at least one other medication that has been associated with liver injury. |
| However, more recent animal studies7 and a clinical
Blackberry has been used in connection with the following conditions (refer to the individual health concern for complete information):
Rating Health Concerns
•ktiiz Common cold/sore throat (page 129) Diarrhea (page 163)
Historical or traditional use (may or may not be supported by scientific studies)
Since ancient Greek physicians prescribed blackberry for gout (page 208), the leaves, roots, and even berries have been used as herbal medicines. |
| The fragrant flowers of lavender are used in the preparation of herbal medicines.
Lavender has been used in connection with the following conditions (refer to the individual health concern for complete information):
Rating Health Concerns
þ?ft Pregnancy (page 363) (in bath, for perineal pain after childbirth)
þftft Indigestion and heartburn (page 260) Insomnia (page 270)
Historical or traditional use (may or may not be supported by scientific studies)
Traditionally, herbalists used lavender for a variety of conditions of the nervous system, including depression
(page 145) and fatigue. |
Abram Hoffer, PhD, MD, FRCP(C) and Dr. Jonathan Prousjy, DPHE, DSC, ND, FRSH
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 Any healthcare provider can prescribe these herbal medicines or they might be available at your local health food store.
If you are unable to locate herbal bitters, lemon juice or apple cider vinegar is an option. Try 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar 15 to 20 minutes before meals, three times each day.
Enteric-Coated Peppermint Oil (ECPO)
Supplementing with enteric-coated peppermint oil (ECPO) can be extremely helpful, especially in cases where there is overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine. |
| Many herbal medicines are very effective for mild cases of low stomach acid. We prefer betaine HCI or niacin for the more moderate-to-severe cases. The best herbal stimulator is Gentiana lutea (gentian). It has been shown to stimulate certain receptors in the taste buds, referred to as gustatory receptors. By stimulating the gustatory receptors, there is a reflex increase in saliva and HC1 production. Other herbal bitters, such as Zingiber officinale (ginger) or Centaurium minus (common or red centuary), might work equally as well. |
Michael Friedman, ND
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 Treatment Options
1. WTS herbal medicines: The advantages of this approach is that it is simple, there is almost no chance of side effects, and improvement of symptoms usually occurs in 3 to 4 weeks.
2. WT3 therapy. The advantage of this approach is that there is a greater likelihood of a more pronounced and longer-lasting effect, especially in patients with severe cases. However, WT3 requires a high level of commitment and discipline (e.g., taking the medicine on time). There is also a chance of some cardiovascular side effects, such as rapid pulse or palpitations. |
| Research on herbal medicines for the treatment of insulin resistance is limited; however, silymarin produced positive results in diabetic patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, and Inula race-mosa potentate insulin sensitivity in an animal model.
INTRODUCTION
Estimates suggest that in Westernized countries 25% to 35% of the population have a degree of insulin resistance and the health consequences associated with this metabolic derangement. |
| Research on herbal medicines for the treatment of insulin resistance is limited; however, silymarin has produced positive results in diabetic patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, and Inula racemosa potentiated insulin sensitivity in an animal model.
Based on available research, ideal protocols for reversing insulin resistance should take into account existing complicating factors, such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, obesity, cirrhosis, or dialysis. |
| It is likely other herbal medicines might have therapeutic potential for modifying insulin resistance. As an example, research indicated that Inula racemosa improved glucose metabolism in experimental animals, and that this activity was probably secondary to potentiation of insulin sensitivity in peripheral tissues.157 More research is required to determine if any of the plant medicines currently used in diabetes management will play an eventual therapeutic role in insulin resistance. |
| Research on herbal medicines for the treatment of insulin resistance is limited; however, silymarin produced positive results in diabetic patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, and Inula racemosa appears to potentiate insulin sensitivity in an animal model.
Minerals Magnesium
Available research suggests an association between magnesium deficiency and insulin resistance. In two patient populations normally associated with insulin resistance, overweight and type 2 diabetic individuals, magnesium deficiency is a relatively common occurrence. |
by Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.
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| Supporting the immune system involves a health-promoting lifestyle, stress management, exercise, diet, and the appropriate use of nutritional supplements and herbal medicines.
Signs and Symptoms
If you answer "yes" to any of the following questions, it is a sign that your immune system may need support:
Do you catch colds easily? Do you get more than two colds a year? Are you suffering from any chronic infection?
Do you get frequent cold sores or have recurrent genital herpes?
Are your lymph glands sore and swollen at times?
Do you have now or have you ever had cancer? |
Amarjit S. Basra
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 Pharmacologically active substances of Chinese traditional and herbal medicines, in P.G. Xiaoi (ed.), Herbs, spices, and medicinal plants (Beijing: Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, 1986), pp. 49-103; Liu, C.X. and Xiao, P.G., An introduction to Chinese materia medica (Beijing: Peking Union Medical College And Beijing Medical University Press, 1993), pp. 246-283; Liu, C.X.., Xiao P.G., and Li, D.P., Modern research and application of Chinese medicinal plants (Hong Kong: Hong Kong Medical Publisher, 2000), pp. 1-111; Xiao, P.G. |
| Newall, C, herbal medicines. Pharmaceutical Press: London, 1996, pp. 151-152.
6. Bonesvoll, P.; Gjermo, P., A comparision between chlorhexidine and some quaternary ammonium compounds with regard to retention, salivary concentration and plaque-inhibiting effect in the human mouth after mouth rinses. Arch Oral Biol 1978, 23, (4), 289-294; Dzink, J. L.; Socransky, S. S., Comparative in vitro activity of sanguinarine against oral microbial isolates. Antimicrvb Agents Chemother 1985, 27, (4). 663-665; Wolinsky, L. E.; Cuomo, J.;
Quesada, K.; Bato, T.; Camargo, P. |
| It contained two volumes and listed about 2,200 herbal medicines. The names, sources, morphology, environment, cultivation, collection and preparation, chemistry, pharmacology, nature, tastes, uses, indications, and administrations of the medicines are given in detail, along with illustrations of the plants.
Color Atlas of Chinese Herbal Drugs
In 1982, People's Health Publishing Press and Xionghua Publishing House (Japan) published the first volumes of the Color Atlas of Chinese Herbal Drugs. |
| As China has vast territory and includes many nationalities, Chinese herbal medicines can be classified according to their different usages into three categories: Chinese traditional drugs (zhongyao), national minorities drugs (minzuyao), and Chinese folk drugs (caoyao).
31
CHINESE TRADITIONAL AND HERBAL DRUGS
Chinese Traditional Drugs
Chinese traditional drugs of Chinese materia medica (zhongyao) are used by doctors of Chinese traditional medicine. Their usages are directed by a series of systematic and self-contained theories. |
Kevin Trudeau
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 Potter's herbal medicines www.herbal-direct.com +011-44-1942-405100 www.academyhealth.com +011-44-1942-405100 www.goodnessdirect.co.uk +011 -44-1942-405100
Healing America www.northernnutrition.healingamerica.com
Harmony Company (860) 426-1518
Center for Natural Medicine Dispensary www.cnm-inc.com (503) 232-0475
Tahoma Clinic Dispensary www.tahoma-clinic.com (425) 264-0051
NorthStar Nutritionals (203) 699-4438
Nutritional Products www.heelusa.com (800) 621-7644 www.quantumhealth.com www.thayers.com www.liddell.net www.aubrey-organics.com www.calcompnutrition.com www.911health.com www. |
Amarjit S. Basra
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| However, the revival of interest in herbal medicines, particularly those used in other cultures, has provided some fascinating observations in recent years. The greater acceptance of the enhanced efficacy of mixtures compared to individual compounds, as well as the scientific validation of traditional uses, may result in some of these products entering mainstream medicine rather than being confined to the complementary or alternative fringe. In either case, more investigation needs to be carried out into the chemical constituents of many plants and the effects that they have in the CNS.
1. |
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