introduction to and a resource list for medicinal herbs. Archive-name: medicinal-herbs/part1 SunSITE-archive-name: medicinal-herbs.faq.part1.v1.12 A medicinal herbs FAQ / Resource list for the alt.folklore.herbs newsgroup, available by ftp at sunsite.unc.edu under pub/academic/medicine/alternative-healthcare/herbs/faqs/ Keeper: Henriette Kress (HeK@hetta.pp.fi) Contributors so far (listed alphabetically): ;) Aine Maclir (amaclir@unibase.unibase.com) amethyst (sfrye@interaccess.com) Colette Gardiner (colette@EFN.org) David Powner (David@filtermx.demon.co.uk) Duane Weed (drweed@delphi.com) Elizabeth Toews (Elizabeth_Toews@mindlink.bc.ca) Eugenia Provence (hd987@cleveland.Freenet.Edu) Gloria Mercado-Martin (desidia@community.net) Howie Brounstein (howieb@delphi.com) Jonathan Treasure (jtreasure@jonno.demon.co.uk) Kathjokl (kathjokl@aol.com) Kay Klier (Kay.Klier@cobra.uni.edu) Ken Rice (rice@mcz.harvard.edu) Kenneth R. Robertson (krrobert@uiuc.edu) Lawrence London (london@sunsite.unc.edu) Mark D. Gold (gold@ilp.mit.edu) Paul Iannone (p_iannone@pop.com) Rob McCaleb (rmccaleb@herbs.org) Robert Gault (ab282@detroit.freenet.org) Ron Rushing (f_rushingrg@ccsvax.sfasu.edu) Steve Dyer (dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com) ========== CONTENTS ----- 1 Introduction * 1.1 Wishlist - ADDITION 2 Frequently asked questions and other useful stuff 2.1 Single herbs 2.1.1 Valeriana is not derived from Valium 2.1.2 Yohimbine is not a MAO inhibitor 2.1.3 Absinthe FAQ pointer 2.1.4 St. John's Wort (Hypericum) and Photosensitivity * 2.1.5 Ginseng - CHANGED 2.1.6 Stevia Leaf - Too Good To Be Legal? * 2.1.7 Poison Ivy / Oak / Sumac - ADDITION * 2.1.8 Wild Yam / The Pill - NOT YET - Actually this topic is up for grabs. * 2.1.9 Feverfew and migraine - ADDITION * 2.1.10 Fo Ti and Fo-Ti-Tieng - clearing up the confusion - NOT YET 2.2 Herbs for specific things * 2.2.1 Herbs for mosquitoes and other bothersome bugs - ADDITION * 2.2.2 Herbs for Migraines - ADDITION * 2.2.3 Herbal abortives, safety, dangers and effectiveness - NOT YET - CONSTRUCTION SITE 2.3 Processing herbs * 2.3.1 Distilling things - ADDITION 2.4 Pointers to related documents 2.4.1 Tinnitus FAQ pointer 2.4.2 Plants by Mail FAQ pointer * 2.4.3 Carpal Tunnel Syndrome WWW page pointer - ADDITION 2.4.4 Hint for Kombucha posters 2.4.5 Hint for Essiac posters 2.4.6 Thinking of growing herbs for sale? * 2.4.7 Saw Palmetto and Prostata problems - ADDITION 3 General Info 3.1 Introduction to side effects, safety and toxicity of medicinal herbs 3.2 Wildcrafting Ethics 3.3 Different schools of Herbal Healing 3.3.1 Traditions in Western Herbal Medicine * 3.3.2 East Asian traditional Healing - an introduction - NOT YET * 3.3.3 Ayurveda - an introduction - NOT YET * 3.3.4 Pointers to homeopathy sites and stuff - ADDITION 3.4 Commercial posts and how to get rid of them * 3.5 The Ames Test - ADDITION 4 Good Printed Sources * 4.1 Good Books on Herbal Medicine for the beginner - CHANGED * 4.2 Good Books for further studies - CHANGED * 4.3 Good Magazines - CHANGED 5 Other sources 5.1 Napralert - on-line commercial database 5.2 Medline - on-line commercial database * 5.3 Good Herbprograms for the PC - CHANGED 5.4 Good Herbprograms for the Macintosh 5.5 Herbal CD-ROM 6 Teachings and stuff 6.1 Apprenticeships offered lately 6.2 Correspondence courses 6.3 Other courses 7 Check these sites 7.1 Medicinal Herb Archives at sunSITE.unc.edu * 7.2 Interesting WWW pages - CHANGED 8 Mailing lists 8.1 The Herblist 8.2 The Aromatherapy list 8.3 The Holistic list 8.4 The Kombucha list 8.5 The Paracelsus Mailing list 8.6 The OrMed Mailing list * 8.7 The Homeopathy List - ADDITION * 8.8 The Phytopharmacognosy List - ADDITION 9 Related newsgroups ========== 1 Introduction ----- This is the fifth edition of the FAQ / Resource list. Feel free to suggest additions, corrections and comments: Email me at Hek@hetta.pp.fi. ========== 1.1 Wishlist ----- The following topics are up for grabs: Wanted for chapter 2.1 (Single herbs): Valeriana - the plant Yohimbe - the plant Fo Ti and Fo Ti Tieng - what they are Kava kava - the plant Raspberry and pregnancy Echinacea - the plant Wild Yam and contraception Guarana - the plant Ephedra (Ma Huang) - the plant, its uses and its dangers Pau d'arco - the plant Ginkgo biloba - the plant, its uses and its dangers Cat's Claw / Uncaria tomentosa - the plant Wanted for chapter 2.2. (Herbs for specific things): Herbs for colds / flu / asthma / pneumonia Herbs to let you sleep Herbs for vivid dreams Wanted for chapter 2.3 (Processing herbs): Tinctures and stuff Dried or fresh herbs? Distilling things Wanted for chapter 3.3 (Different schools of herbal healing): Aromatheraphy - an introduction Bach Flower remedies - an introduction Email me if you're interested in contributing. I'll reserve your chosen topic for 2 postings, after which, if you haven't gotten around to sending anything, it's up for grabs again. Your contribution can be as long as you wish to make it; but it should be GOOD. I'd also like some kind of a peer review for this FAQ. Call it feedback... ==================== 2 Frequently asked questions and other useful stuff ========== 2.1 Single herbs ========== 2.1.1 Valeriana is not derived from Valium ----- The best post to date on this subject was seen on AFH on 30 Apr 1994. Sadly, I couldn't find this one in the archives, but luckily I'd saved it way back when: ----- A couple of posters have said that Valium is derived from valerian. I'm pretty sure that Valium and the active principle of valerian are totally unrelated chemically. Valerian contains valeric acid = propylacetic acid Valeric acid modulates GABA receptors and it is known to be a CNS depressant. There is a synthetic CNS depressant, FDA-approved (U.S.) as an anticonvulsant, which is derived from valerian. It is valproic acid = 2-propylvaleric acid = di-n-propylacetic acid. Like valeric acid, valproic acid modulates GABA. Valium (diazepam) is a benzodiazepine, and neither of these compounds look anything like a benzodiazepine. (Diazepam is cyclic, and valeric acid is not, e.g.) All of the preceding can be verified from the Merck Index. Another a.f.h. subscriber in email cites a cyclic compound called valtratum that is said to be an active component of valerian, and gives as a reference _Farmakognosi_ by Gunnar Samuelsson, 1982. Of course this doesn't prove that valerian doesn't contain a valium analogue, but it does show that a substituted valeric acid (which isn't related chemically to benzodiazepines) is a CNS depressant, and that valeric acid is sufficient to account for the sedative properties of valerian. I would be genuinely pleased if someone could come up with a reference which shows Valium to be derived from valerian, and which shows the compound in valerian from which Valium is said to be derived. No one was able to do so last time this came up in a.f.h. On a related etymological note, the amino acid valine, which takes its name from valerian, is 2-aminovaleric acid. Peace, Ash -- | Ash | K.A.Rice | rice@mcz.harvard.edu | audax@world.std.com | | rice@oeb.harvard.edu | rice@green.harvard.edu | ========== 2.1.2 Yohimbine is not a MAO inhibitor ----- by dyer@spdcc.com (Steve Dyer) wrote: >The problem with yohimbe is that its principle active ingredient >(yohimbine) is an potent MAO inhibitor. Yohimbine is NOT an MAO inhibitor. This is one of the most frequently regurgitated pieces of nonsense on the net (next to "Valium is derived from Valerian".) The drug is an alpha-2 adrenergic antagonist. By blocking presynaptic inhibitory neurons it actually acts as a stimulant. It also can raise blood pressure, from the same mechanisms. One might expect to see additive or supraadditive effects from taking other sympathomimetic drugs simultaneously, so your advice to avoid such is still good. -- Steve Dyer dyer@ursa-major.spdcc.com ========== 2.1.3 Absinthe FAQ pointer ----- If you really are serious about Absinthe go get the alt.drugs FAQ on the subject from hyperreal.com /drugs/faqs: FAQ-Absinthe. Be warned - thujone IS dangerous, no matter what the FAQ says. ========== 2.1.4 St. John's Wort (Hypericum) and Photosensitivity ----- Here's the question (on the herblist (see 8.1 below) in November 1994): ----- As to Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort) causing photosensitivity in humans, I have been unable to find a single study that verifies this in vivo. Lots of research on the effects of hypericin on cattle and insects, but humans? This may be an example of assumptive jumping from mammalian lab results to humans. Anyone know a study that indicates photosensitivity in humans do to Hypericum? Cheers- Peggy ----- Here's the answer: ----- From Howie Brounstein: I don't know of any, Peggy. I have not heard of one case of human photosensitivity, even in the blond, blue-eyed, fair skinned ones, from standard dosages of tincture. Now I haven't asked any albinos doing truckloads of hypericum a day - maybe they'd have a problem. I've known a few folks who definitely did not like the feeling they got from St. John's Wort, but being slightly saner than the average bear, they stopped taking it. Perhaps they've shunned the sun if they continued. But albino cows definitely have a problem with St. John's Wort. And so the authorities that be in charge (of cows and bugs, anyway) in Northern California has waged a war against the poor St. John, hapless victim of human transport from Europe. By releasing bugs from afar, they strive to rid our pasture of this scourage from the old country. Alas, for I wonder - when there are only small populations left in the area, will St. John become a rare and protected plant?? I do know that some common psychiatric pharmaceuticals DO cause photosensitivity in humans... And when you hold the leaves of the hypericum perforatum the light of the sky you will see little holes, actually compartments (perforations), that trap and use the energy of the sun to run a biochemical factory, making hypericin, the red colored constituent assumed to be one of the active ones. Squueeezze that unopened flower bud - just a hint of yellow petals peaking so cautiously from its sepal safety - sqqqueeeezze and you will delight to find a drop of redness so strong as to dye the fingers. Now when I teach my students about this Wort, we general use flower buds and the stems and small leaves attached to them to prepare oils and tinctures. This appears to work just fine, producing extracts of wondrous redfulness. But those who wish for an herbal nectar of delight of greater strength, they sit for hours collecting just flower petals in some Zen like quest. Well, what good's an herbalist without patience :) ...Certainly they are rewarded with extract of unequalled value (not found in Cheapside). Now I'm not one to believe new herbal scientific data until I see the experiment reproduced by other researchers (especially if they have different sources of funding). Recently I saw an article (was it Medical Herbalism?) that stated two research teams at about the same time released results of this Wort being antiviral against enveloped virus that include herpes, etc. But of interest to me was the notion that sunlight increased the Wort's anti-viral effects - that sun again - somehow, in some mysterious way linked to this plant and it's effects. Without exposure to sunlight the herbs anti-viral effect dropped markedly. I don't have all that much experience with bipolar and other mental disorders and Hypericum, although I believe that consistent dosages long term is the way to go ...and careful with self medication. With many of these kinds of problems you may not be able to tell if it's working, especially since you started taking it and you feel great, I mean really good, as you swing up into a manic phase and over one edge or the other. Have someone who can help you gauge your illness objectively (ha) or at least tell you if you've fallen off the fence. It can be hard to tell from the inside. So ideally the Wort would take away the highs and lows and make the emotional rollercoaster of todays hectic society more even. As opposed to the muscle relaxing tranquilizing effects of Valerian, Skullcap, Pedicularis, and such. I don't know about clinical studies, but in my experience the Wort works for some and not others for simple depression and light rollercoaster rides that do not incapacitate the riders. And it even works as a muscle relaxant in some people. Not the "sure and steady" herb that works effectively for everyone (like that bitter Hore Hound that makes everyone gag ...I mean cough.) And this even tempered plant grows in disturbed places, roadsides, lots, loves it when its been bulldozed a year or so ago. A calming herb that grows all over disturbed areas ...hmmmmm. Perhaps one shouldn't focus on the oddities and quirks of nature and coincidence, but I think it's cool. The Wort Oil is good for skin irritations and such. I seen it help when the calendula, comfrey, penstemon and other herbs won't work. It also helps cuts and external physical injuries in general. But in my eyes it seems to have an affinity for the nerves, and it seems to be specific for injuries accompanied by nerve trauma, like I cut my arm and my finger goes numb. I wouldn't claim it reconnects severed nerves, but it will aid in healing them if traumatized. But don't be mislead by symptoms - put the oil on the arm injury, not the numb finger. Howie Brounstein C&W Herbs Eugene, Oregon ----- From Peggy to above: >But of interest to me was the notion that sunlight increased the Wort's anti-viral effects... Without exposure to sunlight the herbs anti-viral effect dropped markedly. Yes, and another really neat thing is that the hypericin (and its phototoxicity in predator insects) is activated, in the presence of oxygen, at the same wavelength that is given off by the Hypericum leaves in the sun. (540-610 nm). Some insects that ingest Hypericum have adapted by tying together leaves and feeding inside the ties, therefore protecting themselves from the effects of the hypericin. (Sandberg, SL, et al. "Leaf-tying by tortricid larvae as an adaptation for feeding on phototoxic Hypericum perforatum." JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ECOLOGY, 1989 15(3):875-886.) Cheers- Peggy ·_ ----- From Jonathan Treasure: Photoxicity of Hypericum in a small proportion of the (blonde) population has been clinically noted especially with topical application whether published or not. Here is an extract from a report from this years' Convention of Naturopathic Physicians in the US which adds some interesting information about the incidence of Phototoxicity in Puerto Rican AIDS sufferers begins One doctor at the conference who treats a lot of AIDS patients said she had seen frequent cases of phototoxocity in dark skinned Puerto Ricans, especially with higher doses and long term administration. AIDS patients started taking hypericum when is was found that the hypericin had an anti-HIV effect in mice. Use has persisted in spite of later discovery that it doesn't help HIV in humans. Most AIDS patients feel much better when taking hypericum, probably because of the antidepressant effect -- depression is probably the least often mentioned symptom of AIDS. Another doctor showed us her legs at the conference -- she had used a hypericum ultrasound gel to treat a sprained ankle. The ultrasound drives the contents of the gel directly into the tissues. She later worked in the direct sunlight, and soon had second degree burns, complete with blisters, whenever the sunlight fell on the gel-treated skin. Six weeks later we could still see the shadow on the back of the leg where the sunlight didn't fall, and the shadow of a sandal strap across the front of the ankle. There was scarring from the blisters. By the way, she said the only thing that would help the severe pain was aloe vera gel. end Jonathan (jtreasure@jonno.demon.co.uk) ----- From Peggy to above: Thank you for the reply. I suspected that incidents of phototox could be found somewhere, just couldn't come up with them. I understand that Hypericin's anti-viral activities (in vitro) are dependent on "light-dose" (wavelength and duration), drug-dosage, and the presence of oxygen. It makes sense, then that phototoxicity was found at the higher, long-term usages (in addition to other factors). Thank you, again. Cheers- Peggy ----- From Howie Brounstein to above: Still, I believe that the average user treating depression shouldn't shy away from trying this Wort. The chemical alternatives have their dangers, too, including photosensitivity. I'll avoid ultrasound/ hypericum treatments. Howie ----- From Michael Moore: I have retailed and wholesaled herbs for 20 years and have taught and written about green stuff for 16 years (...and breathed and micturated for almost 54), and I have only run across 1 person to have shown signs of photosensitization from Hypericum. He was a student of mine in an 8-month program a few years ago. He was what my grandma used to call "Black Irish" (I guess as opposed to a Dirty-Blond Irish like myself) and had the semi-transparent skin and jet-black hair of people like Liam or Patrick Clancy. Since he suffered from some mild hereditary neuropeptide imbalances that showed up as a fairly classic long-cycle bipolarity, he was quite taken with the use of the fresh tincture of both Hypericum perf. and H. formosum which we gathered during a couple of field trips. As he related a year later, he took a fly-fishing vacation after the class, returning to a place in the San Juans of Colorado (8,500 feet) that the class had visited. He had been going through a depressive period ("Got Those OLD Relationship Blues...scooby do-WOP... ......scooby-dooby...do-WOP!"), and was taking up to an ounce of the Hypericum tincture (1:2, fresh plant) a day...a truly excessive amount (it's an Irish thing, y'know?). He broke out in hives that lasted nearly a month. He casually announced that he had been taking a pharmaceutical anti-depressant for nearly a decade...I hadn't even noticed. I guess I am too likely to take people as they are without a second thought. I figure the photosensitivity resulted from A. Racial sensitivity B. High altitude C. VERY high dosage D. (he was a Pisces) --and especially-- E. Synergy with antidepressant meds (that he declined to identify) Several years later another man (a customer) had a lip herpes outbreak, possibly the result of playing tennis in the sunlight while using Hypericum to help some back pain. He had had sun reactions before, so it is hard to speculate further. He too was Black Irish. In both instances the herbs were taken internally and the media was a fresh tincture...appropriate, since the dry herb is nearly inert. The student was using high quantities along with medication and the customer showed little more than passing and perhaps serendipitous symptoms, and I have had GALLONS of my Hypericum tincture and oil go through my grubbies over a couple of decades (usually used by folks going through a stretch of somato-psychic flakiness and often manifesting a peculiar, if temporary, lack of judgement regarding emotions, dosages, and self-monitoring). I consider Hypericum to be safe...this is based on personally observing hundreds of people who have used quality Hypericum preparations (...mine). I would need a BIG study to convince me otherwise...or I would need to start getting negative feedback. This is not an idle statement. Like the Wandering Homeopath, travelling the world seeking provings (you mean you haven't heard THAT legend? Well, the way I hear it, old Dr. Kent had retired to practice in Montana and one day this Basque sheepherder came into his office...) I have always tried my best to keep track of potential side-effects of herbs. I use herbs constitutionally, and any synergy or contraindication I encounter helps me to understand the secondary effects of a remedy so I can try to fit herbs and people together more reliably. Secondary effects are my grist (am I mixing metaphors again??). I can't work on Susun Weed's precepts level, that the body takes what it needs from what you offer it, anymore than I can work with a phytopharmaceutical model that ignores the multi-systemic effects of a plant while focusing only on a specific band of pharmacokinetics ... better even (they say) to refine (reduce) DOWN to single constituents so as to better exaggerate the band and diminish the "unwanted" whispers. Sort of like taking a lovely image and running it through Photoshop plugins until you only have some raggedy and stark black- and-white outlines that bear little resemblance to the source. As most herbs, only using Hypericum for its anti-anxiety effects is to ignore the subtle shades and colors it causes as it moves INTO, THROUGH and OUT of the body. This three-dimensional hologram of effects is what makes herbs superior to drugs... in a wholistic model...and makes drugs superior to herbs in a medical model. To view herbs primarily as safer "little sister" analogs to drug therapies developed FOR the medical model is to be blind to the greater value they have in vitalist wholism, and to avoid the greater task and difficulty (and even glory) we face trying to build (rebuild) models of health and disease derived from balance and imbalance. Michael hrbmoore@rt66.com ----- From Jonathan Treasure: Well... I just got 88 pages of bumpf from NAPRALERT on Hypericum and there isn't a single mention of phototoxicity - so it seems that apart from a couple of anecdotal cases its not an issue as Michael Peggy Howie et aial say ... just keep away from the ultra sound gel in the solarium. Further to the Wort being a lover of roadsides etc. Howie, it was widely distributed through Europe in Roman times by marching legionaries, who also used it soothe their sore feet. (another anecdote not in NAPRALERT) jonathan (jtreasure@jonno.demon.co.uk) ========== 2.1.5 Ginseng ----- Ginseng comes from the Chinese "jen shen," which means "man root", so named because some roots have limb like branches resembling arms and legs. Because the root has a humanlike shape, it is considered by the Orientals to be an overall body tonic. The root is not harvested until it is two or more years old; the older the root, the higher its value. It is held in high esteem in China where it has been valued for thousands of years, sometimes commanding a higher price than gold. An ancient Chinese Herbalist is quoted as saying, "Person would rather take handful of ginseng then cartload of gold and jewels." There are three main herbs that fall under the label ginseng. Although all forms of ginseng have similar properties, there are some subtle differences. GINSENG, KOREAN (Panax) is the most widely used and studied ginseng in the world. As an adaptogen herb, it is believed to help "balance" the body. Ginseng's botanical name, Panax, is derived from the Greek goddess, Panacea, the one who "heals all.". Ancient Chinese records dated from 25 AD mention this plant as a superior herb for increasing overall strength and endurance, and for promoting health and well- being throughout the body. Korean Ginseng is said to be hotter than either the American or Siberian Ginseng. There are two types of Panax - red and white - which reflect differences in the processing of the root, the red ginseng is considered to be of superior quality. David Mowrey in his book, "next Generation Herbal Medicine, has compiled a "Top Twenty" listing for Korean Ginseng based on the "mass of clinical data and 3,000 years of ancient Chinese medicine": 1. Tumours 11. Stress 2. Diabetes 12. Asthma 3. Radiation sickness 13. Headaches 4. Neurosis 14. Anemia 5. Hypotension 15. Indigestion 6. Hypertension 16. Impotence 7. Joint swellings and pain 17. Depression 8. Cardiac arrythmiea 18. Nervous - Anxiety 9. Atherosclerosis 19. Mental disorders 10. Fatigue - exhaustion 20. Heart disease GINSENG, SIBERIAN (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is a member of the ginseng family, though it is of a different genus than other popular ginsengs such as the Panax variety. Natural resources of Siberian Ginseng can be found in eastern Russian and northern Japan. What makes Eleutherococcus particularly interesting is that it is a completely novel plant, unknown in traditional medicine, and discovered by fairly recent research when the Russians were hunting for a homegrown substitute for expensive ginseng they were importing from China and Korea. Screening other members of the same Araliaceae family, they put this dark-berried plant through their standard mouse-stamina test and noted that mice fortified with it swam half as far again as the control mice. Interest sharpened, more tests were done at the U.S.S.R. Academy of Science's Institute of Biologically Active Substances, and the decisive test was personally supervised by the Institute's Director, Professor I. I. Brekhman. He watched the performance of a large group of athletes running a 10 mile race, and saw that those who had taken the plant clocked up an average time of 5 minutes less than the runners who had swallowed a placebo. By 1962, Eleutherococcus was officially entered in the Russian pharmacopoeia. Summary of Benefits of Siberian Ginseng: - Increases physical indurance under stress - Prevents reduction of endurance after exposure to heartstressing activity - Protects against reduced cellular oxygen - Protects against excessive heat and excessive cold conditions - Protects against radiation exposure - Protects against viral and microbial infections - Augments sexual function - Helps prevent tumor metastasis - Favors normalization of neurotransmitter metabolism - Promotes normal endocrine function - Functions as a detoxifier, reducing the effect of toxic chemical compounds - Improves visual acuity, color perception and hearing acuity - Increases output per person-hour in work settings requiring attention and nervous tension GINSENG, WILD AMERICAN (Panax quinquefolius) grows in the northeast U.S. and Canada. In the U.S. it is found from Michigan and Wisconsin, south to northern Florida, Alabama, Louisiana and Oaklahoma. A heavy concentration lies in the Appalachian Mountains, although wild American ginseng is considered endangered. Ginseng was valued by the native American Indians long before the white men began to popularize it. It gained wide acclaim in the 1700's, when a French Jesuit priest returned to Paris with a sample he had found in southern Canada. Sensing the potential profits from the plant, Jesuits sent missionaries to Canada to find more of it, and for several years the Jesuits shipped tons of American ginseng to China. In 1784 George Wahington reported meeting pack horses carrying ginseng. Daniel Boone and Davy Crockett are said to have made large sums of money in ginseng trafficking. American ginseng became a lucrative crop, and not unlike the gold during the gold rush of California, the wild ginseng was almost wiped out along the Eastern seaboard due to overharvesting. American ginseng is considered to have more cooling properties than its Asian counterparts. It is only used after the roots are at least four years old. Despite its being very difficult to cultivate, some farmers have succeeded. Eighty percent of U.S. ginseng is grown in Marathon County, Wisconsin. Most American ginseng is exported to Asian countries. Elizabeth Troews ----- On the herblist Aug 1994: >Could someone be kind enough to summarize the possible adverse effects of ginseng? I've been taking a popular brand for a month now and am generally happy with the effect on a chronic sinus problem and energy levels, but beginning to feel kind of strung out ... i am drinking caffeine and wonder if this could be a problem. Also need to know about possible adverse interactions with prescription drugs such as blood pressure medications. Woah...."Ginseng Abuse Syndrome" is even recognised by the AMA. You do not mention what kind of Ginseng or how much. I will defer to the TCM people on this list to give wither you from the Chinese view but ... surely you're not really doing coffee and ginseng? Oh dear oh dear ... tut tut. 1. It is nonsensical to take caffeine and ginseng together regularly. You will stress your adrenals (*get strung out*) and possibly raise your *stress threshold* to a danger point . 2. Ginseng should be used with extreme caution in hypertensive situations especially if under medication. 3. Sinusitis? Not the *usual* prescription. Pass. 4. Toxic signs - not uniformly predictable but can include hypertension, euphoria, nervousness, skin eruptions, morning diarrhea. 5. Contraindications - nervous anxiety, nervous tension, hypertension, disturbed menstruation, stimulant or rec. drug abuse, good vitality in younger persons. Most recommend taking as a tonic for a period then alternating without eg 3 weeks on 2 weeks off. Jonathan Treasure ----- > the Peterson guide I have on edible wild plants recommends wild american ginseng as a trail nibble... If you did happen to find a Wild American ginseng, you should leave it right where it is! Shame on Peterson. The plant is rare, and probably endangered throughout its range. Paul || p_iannone@pop.com ----- On alt.folklore.herbs June 1995: > I've heard the ads for ginseng pills-- are they worth the money? > If so, are all brands the same? Hello, you definitely want to buy from a reputable company. According to Professer Wang at the University of Alberta researchers found that many prepackaged ginseng products had a major shortcoming designed to fool the consumer. You guessed it ... no ginseng. Elizabeth Toews ========== 2.1.6 Stevia Leaf - Too Good To Be Legal? ----- by Rob McCaleb, Herb Research Foundation For hundreds of years, people in Paraguay and Brazil have used a sweet leaf to sweeten bitter herbal teas including mate. For nearly 20 years, Japanese consumers by the millions have used extracts of the same plant as a safe, natural, non-caloric sweetener. The plant is stevia, formally known as Stevia rebaudiana, and today it is under wholesale attack by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Stevia is a fairly unassuming perennial shrub of the aster family (Asteraceae), native to the northern regions of South America. It has now been grown commercially in Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Central America, the United States, Israel, Thailand and China. The leaves contain several chemicals called glycosides, which taste sweet, but do not provide calories. The major glycoside is called stevioside, and is one of the major sweeteners in use in Japan and Korea. Stevia and its extracts have captured over 40% of the Japanese market. Major multinational food companies like Coca Cola and Beatrice foods, convinced of its safety, use stevia extracts to sweeten foods for sale in Japan, Brazil, and other countries where it is approved. Europeans first learned of stevia when the Spanish Conquistadors of the Sixteenth Century sent word to Spain that the natives of South America had used the plant to sweeten herbal tea since "ancient times". The saga of American interest in stevia began around the turn of the Twentieth Century when researchers in Brazil started hearing about "a plant with leaves so sweet that a part of one would sweeten a whole gourd full of mate." The plant had been described in 1899 by Dr. M. S. Bertoni. In 1921 the American Trade Commissioner to Paraguay commented in a letter "Although known to science for thirty years and used by the Indians for a much longer period nothing has been done commercially with the plant. This has been due to a lack of interest on the part of capital and to the difficulty of cultivation." Dr. Bertoni wrote some of the earliest articles on the plant in 1905 and 1918. In the latter article he notes: "The principal importance of Ka he'e (stevia) is due to the possibility of substituting it for saccharine. It presents these great advantages over saccharine: 1. It is not toxic but, on the contrary, it is healthful, as shown by long experience and according to the studies of Dr. Rebaudi. 2. It is a sweetening agent of great power. 3. It can be employed directly in its natural state, (pulverized leaves). 4. It is much cheaper than saccharine." Unfortunately, this last point may have been the undoing of stevia. Noncaloric sweeteners are a big business in the U.S., as are caloric sweeteners like sugar and the sugar-alcohols, sorbitol, mannitol and xylitol. It is small wonder that the powerful sweetener interests here, do not want the natural, inexpensive, and non-patentable stevia approved in the U.S. In the 1970s, the Japanese government approved the plant, and food manufacturers began using stevia extracts to sweeten everything from sweet soy sauce and pickles to diet Coke. Researchers found the extract interesting, resulting in dozens of well-designed studies of its safety, chemistry and stability for use in different food products. Various writers have praised the taste of the extracts, which has much less of the bitter aftertaste prevalent in most noncaloric sweeteners. ·_ In addition to Japan, other governments have approved stevia and stevioside, including those of Brazil, China and South Korea, among others. Unfortunately, the US was destined to be a different story. Stevia has been safely used in this country for over ten years, but a few years ago, the trouble began. FDA ATTACK ON STEVIA Around 1987, FDA inspectors began visiting herb companies who were selling stevia, telling them to stop using it because it is an "unapproved food additive". By mid 1990 several companies had been visited. In one case FDA's inspector reportedly told a company president they were trying to get people to stop using stevia "because Nutra Sweet complained to FDA." The Herb Research Foundation(HRF), which has extensive scientific files on stevia, became concerned and filed a Freedom of Information Act request with FDA for information about contacts between Nutra Sweet and FDA about stevia. It took over a year to get any information from the FDA, but the identity of the company who prompted the FDA action was masked by the agency. In May, 1991 FDA acted by imposing an import alert on stevia to prevent it from being imported into the US. They also began formally warning companies to stop using the "illegal" herb. By the beginning of 1991, the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) was working to defend stevia. At their general meeting at Natural Products Expo West, members of the industry pledged most of the needed funds to support work to convince FDA of the safety of stevia. AHPA contracted HRF to produce a professional review of the stevia literature. The review was conducted by Doug Kinghorn, PhD., one of the world's leading authorities on stevia and other natural non-nutritive sweeteners. Dr. Kinghorn's report was peer-reviewed by several other plant safety experts and concluded that historical and current common use of stevia, and the scientific evidence all support the safety of this plant for use in foods. Based on this report, and other evidence, AHPA filed a petition with FDA in late October asking FDA's "acquiescence and concurrence" that stevia leaf is exempt from food additive regulations and can be used in foods. FDA, apparently attempting to regulate this herb as they would a new food additive, contends that there is inadequate evidence to approve stevia. However, because of its use in Japan, there is much more scientific evidence of stevia's safety than for most foods and additives. The extent of evidence FDA is demanding for the approval of stevia, far exceeds that which has been required to approve even new synthetic food chemicals like aspartame (Nutra Sweet). AHPA's petition points out that FDA's food additive laws were meant to protect consumers from synthetic chemicals added to food. FDA is trying, in the case of stevia to claim that stevia is the same as a chemical food additive. But as the AHPA petition points out, Congress did not intend food additive legislation to regulate natural constituents of food itself. In fact, Congressman Delaney said in 1956, "There is hardly a food sold in the market today which has not had some chemicals used on or in it at some stage in its production, processing, packaging, transportation or storage." He stressed that his proposed bill was to assure the safety of "new chemicals that are being used in our daily food supply," and when asked if the regulations would apply to whole foods, he replied "No, to food chemicals only." AHPA contends that stevia is a food, which is already recognized as safe because of its long history of food use. Foods which have a long history of safe use are exempted by law from the extensive laboratory tests required of new food chemicals. The AHPA petition, however, supports the safe use of stevia with both the historical record, and references to the numerous toxicology studies conducted during the approval process in Japan, and studies by interested researchers in other countries. To date, the FDA still refuses to allow stevia to be sold in the U.S. but the recently-enacted Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 may prevent the FDA from treating stevia and other natural herbs as "food additives." rmccaleb@herbs.org -- [also herbal@netcom.com] ========== 2.1.7 Poison Ivy / Oak / Sumac ----- (Mostly pulled from rec.gardens archives 1992 - 1994, some pulled from alt.folklore.herbs archives 1993 -, some taken off bionet.plants June 1995). (If you wrote some text I've included here but you aren't mentioned please email - I'll be happy to mention you in the next version.) ----- How to recognize PI/PS/PO courtesy Kay Klier (klier@cobra.uni.edu): POISON IVY (Toxicodendron radicans = Rhus radicans = Rhus toxicodendron) Found in a wide range of habitats, but in the midwest often seen in disturbed woods, roadsides, and flood plains. Most widespread of PI, PS, and PO. Small, slightly woody plant, or shrubby, or vining. LEAVES ALTERNATE (= 1 leaf per node), TRIFOLIOLATE (=3 leaflets), with pedicel (leafstalk) and the CENTRAL LEAFLET WITH PETIOLULE (=leaflet stalk). The lateral two leaflets are not distinctly stalked. Leaflets are a variety of shapes, but generally ovate or obovate (roughly apple-leaf shaped). Leaflets may be smooth-edged (entire), irregularly toothed, or shallowly lobed. Leaves of one variant look like small oak-leaves (but look again!). Leaves apple-green and shiny in the spring, deep green and often dusty in the summer, turning a glorious reddish orange in the fall. Flowers tiny, whitish, in clusters; fruits white berries in late summer or fall. Closest look-alike: Box-elder seedlings (Acer negundo), which has OPPOSITE, trifoliolate leaves; the lateral two leaflets are often slightly stalked. Older box-elders generally have 5 leaflets per leaf. POISON SUMAC (Toxicodendron vernix = Rhus vernix) Shrub, to perhaps 15-20 ft tall, often branched from the base. LEAVES ALTERNATE WITH 7-13 LEAFLETS, lateral leaflets without a petiolule (leaflet stalk), TERMINAL LEAFLET WITH A STALK. MIDRIB OF THE LEAF WITHOUT A PAIR OF WINGS OF TISSUE THAT RUN BETWEEN LEAFLET PAIRS. More small, whitish berries in a long cluster. Usually in wetlands, Maine to Minnesota, south to Texas and Florida. Closest look-alikes: Staghorn sumac, Rhus typhina, which has clusters of fuzzy, red fruits and toothed leaflets, and likes dry soils; Smooth sumac, Rhus glabra, with bright red fruits and slightly toothed leaves; much drier soil than PS. POISON OAK: (Toxicodendron diversiloba = Rhus diversiloba). Reputedly the worst of the bunch. Erect shrub, usually about 3-6 ft tall (to 12 ft!), bushy, with ALTERNATE LEAVES OF THREE LEAFLETS, the LEAFLETS generally lobed slightly or as much as an oak leaf; CENTRAL LEAFLET STALKED. Leaves generally bright, shiny green above, paler below. Fruits are small whitish berries. Common on the west coast, esp. low places, thickets and wooded slopes. Occasionally a 5-leafleted form is found. Steve Hix (fiddler@concertina.Eng.Sun.COM), in response to above: >POISON OAK description... If it were only that simple! In addition to that form, you can find poison oak growing as a vine (very like wild grape, but with smooth bark) up to six inches in diameter disappearing up into the tree tops near streams, or in thickets that look a *lot* like blackberry without spines, or sometimes as collections of leafless single branches (later the leaves appear, shiny and red, changing to oily green, and so on). Fortunately, it doesn't seem to grow much above 5000' elevation. ----- How to avoid the rash Difficult if you live near PO/PI/PS... ... the best way not to get the rash is to learn to recognize the plant(s) and avoid it (them) after that. But: - You can even get a dose if a bunch of the leaves get dumped into a stream or pond ... the oil ends up floating on the surface of the water. - Dogs / cats / horses can get it on their coats and you'll get it from them when you pet them barehanded. - If you burn these plants and inhale the smoke you'll get a bad case of internal PI. ----- Why does it give you a rash? / Spreading the oil about courtesy Ron Rushing : The irritant in poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak is urushiol. The rash you get is an allergic reaction. Everything I say below about poison ivy should also apply to poison oak and sumac. If you brush up against a healthy undamaged plant, you won't usually get urushiol on you. You usually have to come in contact with a damaged leaf. Almost all plants have damaged leaves - either from insects, weather, or from your stepping on them. The oil is easily transferred from one place to another. For example, I got some on my shoelaces once, and I kept getting poison ivy on my hands for a couple of months. Once it is on your hands, it can, and will, end up anywhere on you body. The rash from poison ivy can take up to 72 hours to appear after exposure, and is often spread on the body by taking showers while the oils are still on the skin. Once you get the oil on clothing, it can sit for months and still cause a rash upon contact with your skin. For example,lets say you get some poison ivy oil on your boots, then put the boots away for the winter. Next spring you get out the boots and go for a walk - but not in the woods. A few days later, voila - your hands are breaking out from putting on your boots and tying the laces. As long as you've washed the original oil off your skin, the exudate from the blisters should not re-infect your skin. It's just exudate, and does not contain urushiol. courtesy krrobert@uiuc.edu (K. R. Robertson): Washing with strong soap merely removes excess poison from the skin, but will not remove any which has already reacted, because the poison is believed to form a complex with skin proteins and therefore is not removable short of removing the skin! Even so, it is difficult to wash off this insoluble poison completely. Eating a leaf of poison-ivy may have disastrous results. One may surpass his normal level of immunity by the first bite; in this case he is in for an internal case of poison-ivy, occasionally known to be fatal. The mechanism of sensitivity is not thoroughly understood. It does not behave like protein sensitivities such as hay fever. It is a hypersensitivity of the delayed type, whose mechanism is related to that of organ transplant rejection. (Originally prepared by William T. Gillis, 1973, Revised by Kenneth R. Robertson, 1993, Illinois Natural History) courtesy ab282@detroit.freenet.org (Robert Gault): The active ingredient in poison ivy and other plants in the same family is 3-n-Pentadecylcatechol, common name urushiol, which is a chemical in the phenol family. Dermatitis (skin inflamation and blistering) is spread by the act of scratching which redistributes the urushiol over the body. While the normal treatment for poision ivy does not include the suggestion below, a reasonable approach would be to convert the urushiol into a water soluable material. Phenols are acids so washing with a weak base like diluted house hold ammonia or a paste of baking soda should do the trick. courtesy Kay Klier (klier@cobra.uni.edu): People who react to any of the species of PI/PO/PS will undoubtedly react to the others; further, they may cross-react with mango (Mangifera indica), cashew (Anacardium occidentale), and Chinese or Japanese Lacquer (Rhus verniciflua). (the cellulose-based spray paint that is called lacquer is not involved in this... just "real" lacquer, like carved lacquer boxes, etc.). Generally speaking, it's not a good idea to sit under any member of the Anacardiaceae in the rain... they all tend to have a leaf toxin that falls on innocent bystanders below. Most people are NOT sensitive to PI/PO/PS at birth, but become sensitized through repeated exposures. Some people are apparently immune throughout their lives, but I really don't know how to test that claim... ;-) There is a barrier cream and a cleanup wash called Technu commonly used by those who are sensitized to PI/PO/PS. Works quite well. ----- introduction to and a resource list for medicinal herbs. Archive-name: medicinal-herbs/part2 SunSITE-archive-name: medicinal-herbs.faq.part2.v1.12 ========== 2.1.7 Poison Ivy / Oak / Sumac ----- What helps First a word of caution: Robert Gault wisely told me to tell you this: the recommendations listed here are without medical foundation and, if actually used, are at the sole risk of the reader; the author refuses any responsibility or liability for mishaps. This is true. I'll abide with it. I was also reminded that mugwort is a strong allergen (have I told you they keep track of how much mugwort pollen is in the air over here? soo many hayfever and asthma people are allergic to mugwort. To quote Robert Gault: 'Can you imagine the result if the poison ivy sufferer is also allergic to Mugwort?! ' Ouch - yes, I can. 1. Jewelweed, Impatiens pallida, I. capensis, I. biflora, or similar species. AKA Touch-me-not, silverweed. The plant produces both cleitogamous (self-fertilized), and chasmogamous (cross- fertilized) flowers. Mature seed pods will build tension as they dry, and can "shoot" seeds 5 feet away when activated by a slight disturbance. a. Jewelweed, fresh Crush some leaves and a bit of the stem and rub the resulting juice on the rashy area. Repeat frequently. b. Jewelweed decoction Take one part Jewelweed (or stronger as needed), and twenty parts water. Boil water in non-metallic container, add jewelweed, boil for fifteen minutes, strain and store in jar in fridge or freeze as ice cubes. Apply frequently. c. Jewelweed juice From (Robert King): - Gather the entire plant, leaves, stems, and all; the plant is very succulent and juicy... I have never had a need to add extra water, but if you do, use distilled. Don't be greedy, either trim tops & outer branches, or selectively take entire plants from the center of a crowded stand. One large (4-foot) plant should be adequate for the largest rash on one person. Plants will lose turgor and wilt quickly after cutting, this is OK, just makes it easier to emulsify. - Liquify the plants in a blender at the highest speed possible. Then extract the juice by filtering thru cloth, common strainer, or fruit press... a little pulp in the mix won't hurt, this will settle out after a couple hours, anyway. Use immediately, or refrigerate... this stuff spoils rapidly at room temperature..!! - Apply the juice to the infected area with a common paint brush... I've found 1 to 2" size works best. Blow-dry the area as you apply it with a hair dryer on low heat... after several coats of 'paint,' an orange-colored "skin" will develop. This "skin" will protect un-infected areas against the poison ivy allergen. - Repeat this procedure as needed, especially first thing in the morning, and before bedtime. Be sure to use common sense in keeping any fluid that happens to come from blisters away from unprotected areas... yourself AND others. Keeping the infected area as dry as possible will hasten the healing; continue application until no more blisters are present... usually about 3 days. - Ironically, jewelweed favors growing in areas of similiar habitat as poison ivy, therefore it can often be found nearby, prefering moist ground, near water, or often, even in shallow water. It grows rapidly in ideal environs, but usually doesn't reach significant size until mid-summer; therefore, it might pay to keep a bit frozen in the fridge from the previous year for early-season use. The extract tends to spoil rapidly, even at cooler temperatures, so I wouldn't recommend keeping it for much more than a week without freezing... the fresh solution works best, anyway. 2. Catnip Rub fresh catnip leaves on the affected area. 3. Mugwort (Jilara [jane@swdc.stratus.com]) Pick two large handfuls of fresh mugwort (Artemesia vulgaris) and let infuse in 1 cup alcohol for overnight. Apply to affected area with a clean sponge/washcloth/q-tips/whatever every four hours. Dries it up quickly. 4. Aloe vera (Jilara [jane@swdc.stratus.com]) Take a large leaf from the aloe vera plant you keep on your windowsill for burns. (If you don't have one, get one!) (NOTE: "aloe vera gel" sold commercially does NOT work!) Slice lengthwise to expose the juicy interior of the leaf. (This will give you an upper and lower leaf, with a juicy side to each.) Trim off leaf edges. Apply directly to affected area, juicy side against the sores. Bandage in place. Apply a new leaf every day until healed. This works phenomenally well, but you have to put up with bulky slabs of aloe vera leaf against the area. Which would you rather have: oozing sores or a succulent slab of leaf? Thought so. ;-) I can't laude this one enough! It works faster than any other remedy! And relieves the dreadful *itching*, too! 5. Goldenseal Liberally dust powdered goldenseal on top of Jewelweed/Aloe juices juices before they dry onto the lesions; this will promote rapid healing. 6. Mixed poultice, with (1) (4) and (5): Mash leaves and stems of comfrey, plantain leaves, and the remains of the jewelweed and aloe leaves/stems you used in (1) and (4). Make a poultice or compress and put it on top of the goldenseal dusted on the lesions; hold poultice in place with a bandage of some sort, if possible. After four hours or so remove poultice and clean the lesions with water. Repeat this entire procedure every four hours as needed until itching is reduced and lesions begin to heal. 7. Boric acid Caution: this might not be wise. The skin is no place to try chemical reactions on. Quoting Robert Gault: 'I would be wary of this as both boric acid and urushiol are acids. You don't treat acid exposure with more acid.' Try dissolving some boric acid (a mild acid) in water and soaking the infected areas in it. It dries them out. 8. Gumweed Plant(Grindelia) Indians used the resin from the gumweed plant (Grindellia) to treat poison ivy, but since it is almost winter, this won't work. 9. Baking Soda I swear by baking soda paste for poison oak. It not only soaks up the oozing mess, it completely stops the itching throughout the day. 10. Mixed alcohol liniment Take sweetfern, jewelweed, witch hazel, rubbing alcohol... Zip it all up in a blender until it's green and mushed, let it sit for two weeks (ouch! I know...not for THIS outbreak, sorry), strain it and voila, a marvy linament. 11. Poison Ivy leaf Caution: from krrobert@uiuc.edu (K. R. Robertson): Eating a leaf of poison-ivy may have disastrous results. One may surpass his normal level of immunity by the first bite; in this case he is in for an internal case of poison-ivy, occasionally known to be fatal. Actually, this is just the time of the year to build up your immunity by nipping off a very tiny piece of poison ivy leaf (size of a head of a pin) and put in a capsule and swallow. Do 1-2 times a week. Stop if you start breaking out. 12. Salt (from bss8n@galen.med.virginia.edu) For the little initial blisters, I rub salt and burst them and leave the salt on to dry. They're history. Also salt worked on the moist areas of my face and under my nose where lye soap lather couldn't stay dried out long enough to dry out the rash. Works well on large surface rashes in case the blister stage grew untreated (but it didn't work on the "mini-mountain" reaction to p.i. that my mom got). MOST essential, leave the salt on to dry, adding more salt moistened with water to help create a paste that will stick as it dries, thus drying out that nasty, annoying p.i. The worse the spread, the longer the duration of salt/soap treatment alternated 12 hours to 1) dry out the present fresh redness, and 2) dry out *new* fresh red. Yep, you guessed it... the salt falls off everywhere. That's 1 reason I used the lye soap during bed hours. The other reason was that neither treatment, in a prolonged battle (1 1/2 wks) stayed effective by itself, i.e.continuous dry-out, but alternating them did it. I've wondered why? 13. Lye soap (bss8n@galen.med.virginia.edu) - initially from a pioneer reenactment lady. The older/yellower the bar got, the less effective it seemed. Now, I've found it at the grungiest grocery store in town, a soap called Oxygon. Wet the bar and lather it up on the rash into a paste and let dry. Easier than the salt but since discovering salt, I tend to believe salt is more effective for me, at least with my initial tiny blisters, which is all I ever have to deal with now. ----- How to get rid of poison ivy in your yard (suggestions from rec.gardens/alt.folklore.herbs): 1. Planting catnip should get rid of poison ivy. 2. Goats. They are very effective, but in the end will be a bigger bother than the poison ivy. (Be suspicious if someone offers you free goats!) 3. Poison ivy again: buy the super concentrated form of Round-Up and dilute to 3 times the recommended strength. (Well, hot damn! It killed off nearly every piece of PI in one application and only a few (about a dozen) plants returned a year later.) 4. Pull it, but protect yourself (big plastic bag, disposable suit...) Immediately wash all clothes you used two-three times. Do not touch the plastic bag / disposable suit from the outside. Do not touch your clothes / boots / whatever from the outside before washing. ========== 2.1.8 Wild Yam and contraception ----- This topic is up for grabs. Any takers? ========== 2.1.9 Feverfew and migraine ----- by Eugenia Provence It's not at all unusual for people interested in using herbs to replace over the counter medications with simple herbal counterparts. What has been unusual enough to generate headlines, though, is the conventional medical community's research and acceptance of a traditional European folk remedy, Feverfew, in preventing migraine headaches. Migraines are believed to be caused by an upset in serotonin metabolism, causing spasms of intracranial blood vessels, which then causes dilation of extracranial blood vessels. In the 1970s an English research group sought volunteers already using Feverfew before beginning a study of its efficacy. Their advertisement in a London newspaper brought more than 20,000 responses. Since then, several well-documented double-blind, placebo studies in England confirm its value. An interesting one reported in The Lancet (July 23, 1988; 2(8604):189- 192) followed 72 volunteers. After a one-month trial using only a placebo, half of the group received either one capsule of dried Feverfew leaves a day (or a matching placebo) for four months. Neither the group nor the researchers knew which group was receiving the Feverfew. The group kept diary cards of their migraine frequency and severity. After four months, the groups switched medications, and the trial continued for an additional four months. 60 patients completed the study, and full information was available on all but one. The study found Feverfew to be associated with reducing the number and severity of attacks (including vomiting), with the researchers concluding that there had been a significant improvement when the patients were taking Feverfew. There were no serious side effects. Feverfew is currently classified as Tanacetum parthenium, a member of the Asteracea (or Compositae) family, and was formerly named Chrysanthemum parthenium, where you'll still find it listed in some references. Feverfew is a corruption of Febrifuge, based on its tonic and fever-dispelling properties. It's been called Maid's Weed, referring to its emmenagogue qualities, which are also reflected in its Greek name, Parthenion ("girl"). Its primary actions are anti-inflammatory, bitter, emmenagogue and a vasodilator. Aside from migraine relief, long-term users report relief from depression, nausea and inflammatory arthritic pain. Drunk in cold infusion, it can relieve the cold, clammy sweats associated with migraine. Additionally, it's been used externally as an insect repellant, and topically for insect bites. Perhaps the insect-repelling quality accounts for the tradition of planting it around the house to ward off illnesses and to purify the air. The tea, drunk cold, has been used for sensitivity to pain, and for relief of face-ache or ear ache (all migraine-like symptoms). The Eclectic physicians of the 19th century called it one of the pleasantest of the tonics, influencing the whole intestinal tract, increasing the appetite, improving digestion, promoting secretion, with a decided action on kidney and skin. John Gerard's Herbal in 1663, said it to be "...good against summer headaches to inhale crushed Feverfew blossoms. Dried and taken with honey or sweet wine good for those as be melancholic, sad, pensive or without speech." Culpepper used in it poultice form for head ache. Feverfew in blossom is easily identified by its flat or convex yellow disk and numerous short, broad 2-ribbed white rays. The leaves are alternate, petiolate, flat, bi or tripinnate with ovate, dentate segments. It quickly escapes cultivation, and has become naturalized in many areas of the U.S. and Europe, in some places regarded as a nuisance weed. Among its constituents are a volatile oil, containing pinene and several pinene derivatives, bornyl acetate and angelate, costic acid, B-farnesine and spiroketal enol ethers; Sesquiterpene lactones, the major one being parthenolide); and Acetylene derivatives. Pharmacologists say it is likely that the sesquiterpene lactones in Feverfew inhibit prostaglandin and histimine released during the inflammatory process, preventing the vascular spasms that cause migraines. It appears to regulate the serotonin mechanism. To attain the maximum benefit from Feverfew, it should be taken daily as a preventive. For migraine prevention, parthenolide plays an important role. The parthenolide content in Feverfew is highly variable in different populations grown in different locations or harvested at different times of the year. Recent Canadian tests of U.S. Feverfew products found all of them to be low in parthenolide. Canada, which has recently recognized Feverfew products as official, over the counter drugs for migraine prevention and relief, will require that they contain a minimum of 0.2% parthenolide. So, this is one of the few cases where a standardized extract may be more desirable than the whole plant, with a lot to be said for fresh or freeze-dried preparations. If you want to use the fresh plant, the flowers have a higher parthenolide content than do the leaves. If you are picking the leaves, they are best just before flowering. In one of those magical bits of synergy that herbalists love, the isolated parthenolides used alone don't work on migraines, nor does the whole plant with the parthenolides removed. The parthenolide is bioavailable only in the whole plant. PRECAUTIONS: I know of nothing, whether allopathic or herbal medicine, that I would feel free in saying to have absolutely no unpleasant side effects. We're all unique individuals when it comes to body chemistry. Some unfortunate people are allergic to chamomile. They may also be allergic to Feverfew. A few recent studies of parthenolide in vitro point to toxicity involving smooth muscle tissue. However, no side effect resembling this has ever been reported in human use. Feverfew's safety and usefulness are historic. Pregnant women should never take Feverfew. Its traditional use as an emmenogogue underlines the risk here. The bitter tonic qualities, so useful for indigestion, can cause gastric pain in people with gall stones or gall-bladder problems, by making the gall bladder try to empty. Likewise, the increased production of stomach acid would make it highly aggravating to anyone with a gastric ulcer or esophogeal reflux. Some people have developed mouth ulcers from eating the fresh leaves. DOSAGE: Feverfew is most effective fresh or freeze dried. Take the equivalent of 1 fresh leaf or 125 mg. freeze-dried herb once a day (0.2% parthenolides) 1-3 times daily (don't chew the leaf). In addition to Feverfew on its own as preventive herbal therapy, one would want to look at one's individual migraine triggers or pattern and add herbs whose actions complement Feverfew's anti-inflammatory, bitter and vasodilator actions to support the affected body systems. ----- Please also check the 'Herbs for migraine' entry (2.2.2) below. ----- on alt.folklore.herbs June 1995: I looked up feverfew in Medline and would like to report what I found there. If you aren't interested in medical experimentation as it applies to herbs, you will probably not be interested in what follows. The good news (for migraine sufferers): I found two double blind experiments looking at the effectiveness of feverfew on migraines: The first one used 72 migraine sufferers. Half got a capsule per day of feverfew, the other half got a placebo. There was a significant reduction in the mean number and severity of migraine attacks. The other experiment looked at 17 migraine sufferers who normally ate feverfew to control headaches. They gave placebos to some and continued the feverfew with others. The placebos increased frequency and severity of migraines. The bad news: Feverfew affects the smooth muscles of the body. These are muscles that control much of your involuntary muscular processes, such as the vascular system (blood vessels), digestive system, internal organs, aorta, etc. From what I can gather from some of the abstracts in Medline, feverfew PERMANENTLY affects the ability of these smooth muscles to contract and relax. Here are some snippets from the abstracts which looked at this: "(Feverfew)...inhibits smooth muscle contractibility in a time- dependent, non-specific, and irreversable manner." "(Feverfew)...affects smooth muscles...may represent a toxic modification of post-receptor contractile function in the smooth muscle...effects are potentially toxic" "...inhibition of eicosanoid generation is irreversable" "...irreversable loss of tone of precontracted aortic rings... inhibited ability of acetylcholine to enduce endothelium dependent relaxation of tissue." What does this all mean for the long term health of those who take feverfew? That does not seem to have been looked at yet; these articles were very recent. However, I think that people who take ·_ feverfew should know that they may be permanently affecting the smooth muscles in their bodies and may want to take this into account when deciding whether or not to continue taking it. ----- And, in reply to above: I sent a copy of Julia Moravcsik's Medline findings about feverfew to Reader's Digest (who published an article in their Feb 1995 issue advising that feverfew can help prevent migraines.) I've had a letter back from Elizabeth Craig, a RD researcher. She confirms that none of their sources when they researched the article (late 1994) showed any side-effects from feverfew. She also said that after she got my letter (dated 21 June 95) she contacted a migraine research scientist who is studying the effects of feverfew. The researcher is familiar with Medline and says that "research has shown the dosage taken by migraine sufferers has no side effects at all." Whew -- that's good. (Or maybe, feverwhew.) Jim Heath ========== 2.1.10 Fo Ti and Fo-Ti-Tieng - clearing up the confusion ----- Sorry folks - I'm waiting for permission before including this one. ========== 2.2 Herbs for specific things ========== 2.2.1 Herbs for mosquitoes and other bothersome bugs ----- Actually this isn't medicinal - if you don't count doing something for the bites. But it's asked every year come bug time, so I include it anyway. ----- >i'd heard rumors of vitamins and herbs that naturally repel insects, >though i'm not sure which ones...any help is greatly appreciated courtesy Aine Maclir (amaclir@unibase.unibase.com): There are a couple of things that I know of. 1. Wear Citronella essential oil (which isn't the greatest smelling stuff around, but I guess it beats Off). 2. Take the equivalent of 1500 mg of fresh garlic clove (a 15 mg capsule of garlic powder or 3 x 5 mg capsules) orally every day. Taking garlic will cause your skin to secrete a natural insect repellent. For best results, do both. Don't wear perfumes or scented deodorants and wear light-coloured clothing as darker colours attract bugs...this is particularly true of blue denim jeans. To make sleeping more comfortable, burn either an insect coil or a couple of sticks of citronella incence in your cabin before going to bed, making sure that all the doors and unscreened windows are closed, so no more of them get in. If you do get bitten, applying a small dab of ammonia to the bite immediately after being bitten can help ease the itching. And there's always the old favorite...calamine lotion...if you're not going to be anywhere that being coated in pink polka dots will be unfashionable . Aloe vera and witch hazel will also soothe insect bites. If you are going to be in an area that's also known for tics, just be on the lookout for them whenever you've been in a wooded area and if you find one stuck to you, use rubbing alcohol to make it let go and carefully remove it with a pair of tweezers. Salt applied to a leech will get rid of it (in case you're around water that has any of those "suckers" ). I think that should about cover every blood-thirsty creature you're likely to run into at a summer camp, recalling my own experiences. I've been on canoe trips through Algonquin Park, Ontario (known for having some of the biggest and thirstiest mosquitos, blackflies and leeches in Canada) and I live in Saskatchewan, where we could make mosquitos our provincial bird! courtesy sfrye@interaccess.com (amethyst): I've had good results taking B-complex supplements daily. Seems the bugs like the odor of B-1 about as much as I like the taste of it. ;P ========== 2.2.2 Herbs for migraines ----- by Eugenia Provence What are migraines? A whole variety of headaches associated with vascular constriction and dilation make up the unpleasant world of migraines. The two most common are classic migraine and common migraine. They may first appear in childhood, but usually in the late teens or early twenties. More women than men are subject to them, and they frequently end after menopause. Classic migraines start with warning signs (called the aura by medical folks). Before the headache begins, you may temporarily lose some of your vision, see flashing lights and feel very strange altogether, maybe even feeling a burning sensation or muscle weakness. The pain usually begins on one side of the head, but can spread. The headache may take hours to develop and several days before it goes, leaving a desire to sleep (replacing the desire to die!). You may experience nausea and sensitivity to light and noise. I've had only one of this kind and never want another. I thought I was losing my vision (along with my wits and my lunch). Other symptoms may include muscle numbness, tingling, scalp tenderness, dizziness, dry mouth, tremors, sweating and chilliness. Common migraines don't begin so dramatically, but a few hours or days before onset, you may feel tired, depressed (or paradoxically) have a burst of energy, be anxious or feel hyper. The common migraine may begin more slowly and last longer than the classic type. Except for the aura, the symptoms are the same. What causes migraines? The exact range of mechanisms producing migraines isn't well understood, but is believed to be an upset in serotonin metabolism that causes dilation of cerebral arteries, followed by vascular spasm in extra-cranial blood vessels. Migraine triggers are as varied as the individuals afflicted by them. About 70% of sufferers have family histories of migraine. Food triggers are common, and can be nearly anything. Some of the most frequent food triggers are anything aged, canned, cured, pickled or processed or that contain tyramine or nitrites. Aged cheese, bananas, caffeine, chicken livers, MSG, alcohol (especially red wine,) yeast products (including bread), chocolate, red meat, shellfish are common, but the list is extensive and individual. Try eliminating these first. If that doesn't work, see if you are sensitive to citrus, lentils, nuts, any kind of green beans or peas, vinegar or yogurt. Stress, strong emotional reactions and fatigue may be triggers, in addition to compounding the symptoms. Weather or altitude changes may contribute to them. There's a hormonal trigger for some women, causing migraines prior to or during menstruation or when using birth control pills or estrogen replacement therapy. There seems to be an association with sluggish liver function from eating too much fatty food or heavy drinking. How can they be prevented or treated? If you can catagorize your migraines as being related to physical stress or emotional upheaval, stress reduction techniques, meditation and biofeedback have been found to be helpful, as have acupuncture and bodywork. Chiropractic or Osteopathic treatment may help if there is a structual problem in the neck. Again, it's very individual and complex issue, and you may need the assistance of a professional conventional or complementary practioner. HERBAL THERAPIES: --To ease pain, David Hoffmann suggests that at the first sign of attack equal parts of Black Willow, Meadowsweet, Passion Flower, Valerian and Wood Betony may be helpful. --For migraine associated with stress, use equal parts of Hawthorne berries, Lime Flowers, Wood Betony, Skullcap and Crampbark. --Nervine tonics, such as Oats and Skullcap are appropriate long-term therapy, accompanied by Siberian Ginseng as an adaptogen. --Massage Lavender oil into the temples at first sign of an attack. --If the migraine is accompanied by nausea or vomiting, Chamomile, Meadowsweet or Peppermint may help. --If migraine is associated with hormonal problems, long-term treatment should include herbs to try to balance the hormonal system. Vitex, Black Cohosh, or Wild Yam may be useful. --European herbalists emphasize the importance of liver support in migraine treatment. Herbs like Burdock, Dandelion root or Milk Thistle would be ideal. The following delicious Migraine Tea from Ana Nez Heatherly of Gatesville, Texas, appears in the July 1995 Mother Earth News. She prepares a cold infusion of: 6 parts Rosemary leaves 4 parts Peppermint leaves 4 parts Lemon Balm leaves 4 parts Sweet Violet 3 parts Feverfew 1/2 part sweet Violet Flowers ----- Please also check the 'Feverfew and migraine' -entry (2.1.9) above. ========== 2.2.3 Herbal abortives, safety, dangers and effectiveness ----- Construction site ========== 2.3 Processing herbs ----- ========== 2.3.1 Distilling oil ----- The safest and cleanest method of extraction is with an alembic still. It's nice if you can buy one (try Edmund's Scientific) but you can also put one together from pieces of lab equipment or even kitchen pots. The idea is to simmer the organic matter in water so that the oils are released in the steam, then trap the steam so that it condenses. Typically this will yield a more dilute product than a pure essential oil - what you will usually get are herbal "waters" such as rosewater, lavender water, etc. The best quality oils are steam distilled but the apparatus and technique may be beyond the home hobbyist. (from the old herbfaq) ========== 2.4 Pointers to related documents ========== 2.4.1 Tinnitus FAQ pointer ----- The tinnitus FAQ is found at http://www.cccd.edu/faq/tinnitus.html. ========== 2.4.2 Plants by Mail FAQ pointer ----- Here you'll find lots and lots of catalogs to get living plants, and some seeds, too: http://seidel.ncsa.uiuc.edu/PBM-FAQ/ ========== 2.4.3 Carpal Tunnel Syndrome WWW page pointer ----- Take a look at the Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Home Page at http://www.netaxs.com/~iris/cts and specifically, at http://www.netaxs.com/~iris/cts/compfort.html ========== 2.4.4 Hint for Kombucha posters ----- Please subscribe to the Kombucha list (see 8.4). Do not post on alt.folklore.herbs about Kombucha. ========== 2.4.5 Hint for Essiac posters ----- You can find a wealth of info on Essiac at this web location: http://werple.mira.net.au/sumeria/sumeria.html ========== 2.4.6 Thinking of growing herbs for sale? ----- Visit this site first: http://newcrop.hort.purdue.edu/ It's the Gateway to the NewCrop Resource Online Program at the Indiana Center for New Crops and Plant Products at Purdue University; It has lots of information about different plants. Then go get the 'herb-growing.faq' at sunsite (see 7.1 below). ========== 2.4.7 Saw Palmetto and Prostata Problems Newsgroup/FAQ pointer ----- Try newsgroup alt.support.prostate.prostatitis, where they also have an excellent FAQ posted periodically. ========== 3 General Info ========== 3.1 Introduction to side effects, safety and toxicity of medicinal herbs ----- by Jonathan Treasure (jtreasure@jonno.demon.co.uk) This introduction concerns WESTERN medical herbs and their clinical use. Some herbal agents are common to different traditions but the indications and methods of use may vary between eg TCM, Ayurvedic and Western practices. The purpose of these notes is to provide a general understanding of the actions of herbal medicines, and hence a background for understanding questions of safety and toxicity - NOT to provide a list of problematic herbs. A brief bibliography gives sources of reliable information on the safety of herbal medicine and further reading. ----- Conventional medicine considers that if a drug is to be effective, it will inevitably have side effects. The medical establishment considers herbal medicines as drugs, and as such, they must either have side effects - or ergo be ineffective. Paradoxically tens of thousands of people every year turn to herbal medicine because they regard plant remedies as being free from undesirable side effects. Herbal medicines are considered to be generally safe AND effective agents. Although there is a spectrum of viewpoints in western herbal medicine, most herbalists reject the view that plant medicines are naturally occurring analogues of the pharmaceuticals used in orthodox clinical medicine i.e. drugs. This is ultimately a rejection of the dominant paradigm of orthodox clinical science. It is necessary to outline the elements of the alternative paradigm shared by most herbalists, before questions of toxicity and safety can be discussed in context of clinical herbal therapeutics, rather than of orthodox medical science. ----- I. MEDICINAL PLANT ACTIONS CANNOT BE REDUCED TO THE EFFECTS OF THEIR ISOLATED "ACTIVE CONSTITUENTS" There ARE a few plants that are almost "drug like" and whose action approaches that of pharmaceuticals. Digitalis is the classic example. Herbalists use these plants in near allopathic treatment strategies if at all, and in some countries e.g. UK, their availability is restricted by law. The number of herbs in this category is relatively few. The vast majority of medicinal herbs contain dozens of different compounds, often of great complexity, mucilages, tannins, polysaccharides etc. that buffer, modulate and modify the effects of any "active principles". Study after study has shown that effects produced by extracts of whole plants cannot be mimicked by administering isolated purified constituents of the plant. (It is ironic this proposition even has to be asserted given that biological sciences have for some time used a systems theory model in which the whole being greater than the sum of the parts is axiomatic - this simply reflects the inherent conservatism of the medical establishment. However for most herbalists the view of the whole being greater than the parts is derived from vitalism, not systems theory!) ----- II. MEDICINAL HERBS ACT "MULTI-SYSTEMICALLY" Pharmaceutical drugs are designed to elicit very specific reactions. Their associated "side effects" are undesired actions, usually traded as a "risk" against the "benefit" of the primary effect. Herbs tend to have several broad actions on a number of whole physiological systems at the same time. These actions are usually oriented in the same general therapeutic direction, and are usually complementary or synergistic, often non-specific, and very rarely adverse. Herb actions cannot be adequately described using the vocabulary of "drug" action terms, e.g. diuretic etc. - they are too complex. The clearest example of this is the coining of the term "adaptogenic " used to describe the multiple non-specific effects of herbs such as Ginseng. ----- III. HERBS ACT ON THE HEALING PROCESSES IN THE BODY. A pharmaceutical drug addresses symptoms caused by specific disease mechanisms as understood by scientific pathology. Herbal medicines are directed towards aiding the body's own healing processes. These approaches are diametrically opposed. Herbal medicines act gently, usually attempting to "nudge" or "support" systems and processes that have become deficient or help remove excesses that have become preponderant. Symptom relief is only a component of herbal therapeutic strategy. This is a crucial difference. For example, serum arthritic conditions are conventionally treated with steroid anti-inflammatory drugs. These have widespread and disturbing side effects, which at sustained high doses become intolerable and potentially dangerous if not lethal. The herbal approach to these conditions uses dietary modification of metabolism; facilitation of elimination via kidneys and hepatic/ biliary routes; stimulation of circulation in the affected regions, moistening of dry synovia, etc. Topical treatments for acute joint pain or systemic anti-inflammatory herbs that help joint pain are used as required, but this is not the thrust of the treatment strategy. Lay persons often make the related mistake of seeking a "natural alternative" to a pharmaceutical they have been prescribed rather than challenging the diagnosis and therapeutic strategy. ----- IV. HERBS ACT MULTI- DIMENSIONALLY Herbal medicine is a wholistic therapy, it integrates mental, emotional and spiritual levels seamlessly into its understanding of both human function and of the plant remedy, while respecting the planetary and ecological dimensions of natural medicine provided by plants. Although subject to differing interpretations this view is held in one form or another by most herbalists . Life style, mental, emotional and spiritual considerations are part of any naturopathic approach, herbalism included. Flower essences, homeopathic preparations and drop doses of standard herb extracts all demonstrate that herbal agents can produce consistent and powerful effects at subtle levels in ways quite inexplicable by the pharmacokinetic model underlying orthodox pharmacology. Centuries of medicinal plant usage overarch even the Graeco - Roman heritage of medical thought, itself already forgotten by its amnesiac infant technological medicine, extending into magical, esoteric and religious domains of prehistory. The great Asian systems of medicine have continued uninterrupted for thousands of years to today, integrated into profound cosmological and philosophical systems. From any serious study of the application of herbs to healing a perspective emerges that reveals modern doctors to be tragi-comically "like educated peasants running around pretending to be chiefs" (Grossinger). ----- V. SIDE EFFECTS VS CONTRAINDICATIONS Many herbalists would tend toward the radical homeopathic view that the "side effects" of orthodox medicine are in fact iatrogenic developments of the very disease for which the pharmacological ·_ intervention was intended. The symptoms simply change, and the real underlying dysfunction is further obscured - or driven further into the interior to manifest in deeper and more intractable ways. Notwithstanding this iatrogenic view of side effects, we have seen that the use of herbs anyway does not generally involve "drug" actions or adverse effects. Of course, if the body processes are nudged in the wrong direction for long enough, then imbalances can worsen rather than improve. Hence the need for informed knowledge of the effects of herbs as well as a clinical training to understand their appropriate medical application. Herbalists learn about the CONTRAINDICATIONS as well as the indications for using a herb. This term is more useful and appropriate than "side effects". CONTRAINDICATIONS are incongruences between the metabolic/systemic predisposition (constitution) of the individual - and the spectrum of multi-systemic actions of a given herb agent or class of agents. Essentially, herbalists use their in depth knowledge to devise a mix'n'match prescription tailored precisely to fit an individuals unique profile. This approach is most sophisticated in the tonic energetics of the Oriental medical traditions, but is empirically applied by most herbalists. Contraindicated remedies can account for apparently idiosyncratic "bad reactions" to a herb. Valerian is a classic example, its powerful autonomic effects can make it "disagree" with stressed adrenergically hyperactive individuals, who paradoxically are often those seeking sedative treatment for insomnia. Anyone experiencing such reactions to a herb for more than a couple of days should stop taking it and seek further advice. However a second and vital aspect of contraindications especially today is the question of DRUG INTERACTIONS. Many people seeking herbal medical treatment are already involved in pharmaceutical therapies. Herbal remedies may act either as agonists or potentiate some drug therapies, and an understanding of conventional drugs is an essential prerequisite for effective herbal therapueutics. In many cases, herbalists would not treat the primary presenting symptom undergoing drug treatment - be it ulcers treated with Zantac or cardiac arrythmia treated with Digoxin - but rather concentrate on supporting other systems and functions stressed by the primary symptom. This allows the body to recover its strength and healing potential so it can then direct these capabilities toward repairing the presenting condition. In other cases, it can be a priority to wean someone off drugs, eg steroids, in which case supportive therapy to restore adrenal function is vital. ----- VI. SAFETY AND TOXICITY OF HERBAL MEDICINES The definition of *toxic* is a ultimately a matter of viewpoint. Many ordinary foods contain constituents that could be regarded as poisonous, such as the alpha gliadin produced by gluten in wheat oats and rye, the cyanogenic glycosides in many fruit seeds, the thiocyanates of the brassica vegetables, alkaloids of the Solanaceae and lectins of many pulses including soya and red kidney beans. Nonetheless these foods are generally regarded as safe. Similarly, both water and oxygen - can kill in excessive amounts, so quantity is often an important consideration. In practice however, three groups of herbs can be identified from a safety point of view. Firstly there are a handful of herbs that contain near pharmaceutical concentrations of poisonous constituents which should on no account be taken internally by unqualified persons except in homeopathic potencies. Examples are Atropa belladonna, Arnica spp, Aconitum spp, Digitalis spp. In many countries availability of these herbs is limited by law. Regulations vary from country to country and the appropriate regulatory authorities or Herb Organisations can be consulted for details. Wildcrafters should be unshakeably confident in their identification of the local variants of these species, and children warned to avoid them. Fortunately this is a numerically tiny category. Secondly, are herbs with powerful actions, often causing nausea or vomiting, (that usually were traditionally prized for this action). They are perfectly safe used under appropriate conditions. Some of these herbs are restricted in some countries but freely available in others. Lobelia and Eonymus spp are examples. There is some inconsistency here, for example Ephedra is restricted, perhaps with justification, in the UK, but is freely available in the US. Finally, there is an idiosyncratic grouping of herbs which have been alleged, with some scientific support, to exhibit specific kinds of toxicity. The best known is the hepatotoxicity of pyrrolizidine- alkaloid-containing plants such as Comfrey (Symphytum). Other examples are Dryopteris (Male Fern), Viscum (Mistletoe) and Corynanthe (Yohimbe). Although much of the evidence is contentious (see below), lay users would be advised to avoid internal consumption of these herbs. The vast majority of medical herbs are safe for consumption, but for those without specialised knowledge, it would be prudent to follow simple but sensible guidelines in self treatment: - Use only herbs recommended in respected herb books, especially in countries like the US where there are few restrictions on availability. - Avoid new or unproven *wonder remedies*. - Do not persist with a remedy if no benefit or result obtains after a moderate period, and if adverse reactions take place, stop the treatment and seek experienced advice. - Do not persist with a treatment that has brought improvement without testing to see if continued further consumption is necessary to maintain improvement. - Do not engage in self treatment for complex conditions without experienced advice. Drug interactions and contraindications must be considered on an individual basis and herbal treatment strategies are often involved and multifaceted. Unfortunately,training and licensing of herbalists is not internationally consistent. In the US the situation is especially complex - no recognised herbal licensing exists. ND's are licensed in a few states, but their herbal training could theoretically be less than that of an unlicensed but experienced herbal practitioner. In the UK, the NIMH accredits herbalists who have trained at approved courses: practitioners are recognised by MNIMH or FNIMH qualifications. ----- VII. PREGNANCY It is axiomatic that pregnancy should be a time of minimal medical intervention, and herbalists in particular regard pregnancy as a "contraindication" to taking herbal medicines. Nutritive "food herbs" such as nettle, and uterine tonics such as raspberry leaf are encouraged, and perhaps gentle treatments against typical symptoms such as constipation or morning sickness are in order. There is NO evidence of teratogenicity in humans arising from herbal remedies, but since such evidence would be hard to come by, erring on the side of caution is regarded as prudent. ----- VIII. UNDERSTANDING TOXICITY RESEARCH - POLITICS AND IDEOLOGY Medical orthodoxy at best does not understand herbal medicine, and at worst, sees it as a threat which it attempts to rubbish, regulate or ridicule. Quackery has a fascinating role in the history of medicine and its institutions, but much of the hostility towards herbal medicine comes from its apparently greater proximity to orthodoxy than say acupuncture or homeopathy. This is the unfortunate political context in which toxicity and safety of herbal medicines are debated. Additionally, both professional herbalists and regulatory authorities exhibit differing degrees of education, organisation and aptitude in different countries. In the United States, the situation is particularly lamentable, with scare mongering stories regularly aired in medical, scientific and popular press, whilst the lack of accredited professional herbalist training means that well intentioned self-appointed spokespersons for herbalism can cause more harm than good, and the quixotic federal regulatory stance on herbs as foodstuffs means that the potential of lay self-iatrogenesis with freely available OTC herbal products is a serious possibility. Toxicity of herbal medicines needs to be seen in context however. As Paul Bergner, Editor of the journal Medical Herbalism and author of several articles on herbal toxicty recently pointed out: *Approximately 8% of all hospital admissions in the U.S. are due to adverse reactions to synthetic drugs. That's a minimum of 2,000,000. At least 100,000 people a year die from them. That's just in the U.S., and that's a conservative estimate. That means at least three times as many people are killed in the U.S. by pharmaceutical drugs as are killed by drunken drivers. Thousands die each year from supposedly "safe" over-the-counter remedies. Deaths or hospitalizations due to herbs are so rare that they're hard to find. The U.S. National Poison Control Centers does not even have a category in their database for adverse reactions to herbs.* Similar figures apply in the United Kingdom, and even hepatoxicty, where perhaps the stongest case against some herbs lies, the statistics are horrendously clear - over 80% of cases of fulminant hepatic failure presenting for liver transplant (or death) over ten years inthe UK were due to poisoning by freely available OTC non- prescription NSAID's, such as paracetomol and aspirin. Not one case was due to ingestion of medicinal herbs. For the lay person, analysis of so called "scientific evidence" about toxicity is clearly problematic. Some of the most useful sources of information are to be found in review presentations made by representatives of the herbalist community to regulatory authorities such as the FDA or MCA. Informative reviews of the literature in defence of Comfrey and Mistletoe have been made in this way. Herbalists justifiably point out that scientific studies with isolated compounds, on non human or even non mammalian organisms, or in vitro, with doses tens or even hundreds of times the equivalent medicinal dose, simply have no arguable extrapolation to the clinical situation using whole herb at appropriate medicinal doses. Lack of herbal knowledge knowledge by some scientific investigators (let alone journalists or self appointed defenders of the public) leads to often ludicrously misleading results - one of the commonest mistakes being the failure to verify the actual identity of plant material used in their experiments, let alone the detection of contaminants! These points beg the question of what paradigm can be used for research into the safety and efficacy of herbal therapies. That shibboleth of orthodoxy - the double blind placebo controlled clinical trial is open to a range of criticsms from the paradigm employed by herbalists - but that, as they say, is another story. ----- FURTHER READING HERBAL /MEDICAL CONTRAINDICATIONS: Synergistic and Iatrogenic Potentials when some herbs are used concurrent with Medical Treatment or Medical Health Care by Michael Moore, 1995, on line at http://www.crl.com/~robbee/herbal.html HERB INFORMATION RESOURCE: The Information Source book of Herbal Medicine: David Hoffmann, Crossing Press 1994. This excellent book is reviewed at http://www.crl.com/~robbee/herbal.html TOXICOLOGY: Brinker F : An Introduction to the Toxicology of Common Botanical Medicines, NCNM 1983 AMA Handbook of Poisonous and Injurious Plants AMA, Chicago 1985 NAPRALERT database at UIC. Example REVIEWS OF PROBLEMATIC HERBS: In Defence of Comfrey: EJHM1.1.1994 11-17 The Case For Mistletoe: EJHM1.1 1994 17-22 EJHM = European journal of Herbal Medicine HISTORY: Planet Medicine - Richard Grosssinger, North Atlantic Books 1990 The Magical Staff, Matthew Wood North Atlantic Books, Berkely 1992 GENERAL HERB BOOKS: (as in 4.1 below): J.A. Duke, CRC Handbook of Medicinal Herbs. C. Hobbs, many booklets. D. Hoffmann, The Herbal Handbook. S. Mills, Out of the Earth: The Essential Book of Herbalism. M. Moore, Medicinal Plants of the Mountains West. M. Moore, Medicinal Plants of the Desert West. M. Moore, Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West. R.F. Weiss, Herbal Medicine. ==========