Herbalism in Medicine

In the book "The Herbal Drugstore" by Linda B. White and Steven Foster, we find some examples of the convergences between herbalism and modern medicine:   

• About 25 percent of all pharmaceutical products are still derived directly from plants.   
• The world's first wonder medicine, the antimalarial quinine, was extracted from the South American cinchona almost 500 years ago.   
• Digitalis, which is used to treat heart failure due to venous congestion, comes from the foxglove.   
• Aspirin was originally an extract of white willow bark and meadowsweet, both of which contain the chemical precursor to this pain reliever, salicin.  
• The active ingredient in Listerine mouthwash is the antiseptic substance called thymol, which comes from the essential oil of thyme.   
• Surgical ointments that help speed wound healing often contain allatoin, a compound derived from comfrey.   
• Taxol is a compound derived from yew that is used to treat breast and ovarian cancer.   
• Garlic and hydraste have compounds that enter the bloodstream and help the immune system to get rid of microorganisms that are causing problems.  

The book also points out that today, in any of the current regulatory frameworks, in order to make a medical claim, studies that include double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trials are required. 

 Random means that the individuals participating in the study are not pre-selected in any particular way, as this could influence the results. Instead, it could be all the residents of some nursing home, or the next 250 patients who visit a particular clinic.   

Placebo-controlled means that some participants take the active herb or drug, while others receive an inactive substance or placebo. The latter almost always provides significant relief to about a third of people who take it, because the mind is able to stimulate the immune system. In order for the tested substance to be considered effective, it must produce results that are significantly superior to those produced by the placebo.   

Double-blind means that neither the participants nor the researchers know in advance who took the placebo. This prevents researchers from treating participants differently, which could also influence the results.   

Under these premises, various scientific studies related to medicinal plants have already been carried out, verifying their safety and efficacy. For example, researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to test an extract of ginkgo to treat Alzheimer's disease.   

• They recruited 309 people who had recently been diagnosed with this condition and gave them ginkgo extract, or a placebo, for one year.  
• When compared, the herb significantly slowed the participants' mental decline.   
• Previously, several studies had already suggested that it could be an effective treatment.   
• But because it was a large-scale, scientifically rigorous investigation, it was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, made the front page of newspapers, and established ginkgo as a viable treatment for Alzheimer's disease.  

• Most plants are less potent than synthetic drugs. While this may seem like a drawback, it actually makes them safer to take.   
• Sometimes it may be best to take something that has the potency of a drug, even with the risk of adverse reactions.   
• For severe discomfort from rheumatoid arthritis, anti-inflammatory medications may be best, but for a regular tension headache, then a chamomile tea to calm the nerves will most likely help.   
• One of the main reasons why herbal medicines have become so popular is the reduced risk of side effects.   
• Most herbal medicines are not known to cause side effects in otherwise healthy people who are not taking other prescription or over-the-counter drugs. Many of these are safe for everyone except pregnant or breastfeeding women and young children. Some are even safe for babies.   
• As with any medicine, herbal remedies must be used with care. One of the worst mistakes people can make is assuming that medicinal plants are completely harmless just because they are natural.  Cascara sagrada (rhamnus purshiana), for instance, is a powerful laxative that can help relieve constipation, but large amounts can cause abdominal discomfort, cramps, and diarrhea. Licorice  root is a scientifically proven treatment for ulcers, but if consumed excessively or over a long period of time, it can lead to water retention, which in turn can cause blood pressure to rise to dangerous levels. That's why there is a form of licorice that has had certain compounds removed, developed especially for individuals with ulcers who need to take it for several months.