In a recent article on drkoop.com, the question of accurate and responsible labeling of herbal remedies was brought into question. Believe it or not, I tend to agree with that statement. Other pieces of the article give me pause, however. Allow me to explain.
There are two kinds of people involved in phytomedicine and herbalism. Those who understand the healing power of herbs and wish to explore this healing modality further, and those who understand the potential revenue from a mass-marketed "get-well-quick-and-natural" product and wish to explore higher profits. Guess which camp I fall into?
Good herbalists (I lump myself in this group) are keenly aware of the products they recommend to their clients. They are diligent about researching their suppliers and put quality high on their list as well as impress this upon their clients. As such, we know exactly what we're recommending and for the most part don't encounter the issue of ingesting something other than what was intended.
But all too often, "consumers" (how I hate that word) take it upon themselves to select their own herbal remedies-- often based solely on price. I'm not saying that all medicine should be expensive. In fact, many of the custom compounds I create on behalf of clients are significantly cheaper than similar products found in whole food and health food stores. Conversely, just because an herbal remedy is expensive doesn't make it more effective than others. That's why you need an herbalist to help you make those decisions.
Some key points from the article:
- Over the past 10 years the use of herbal products by Americans has increased 380 percent.
In 1998, there was over $600 million in sales of herbal products.
The 10 most popular used herbal supplements include echinacea, St. John's wort, Ginkgo biloba, garlic, saw palmetto, ginseng, goldenseal, aloe, Siberian ginseng and valerian.
That's a huge market. Of the herbs listed, the first three are literally worthless if not properly prepared. Garlic (Allium sativa) has different properties depending on how it is prepared. Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) extracts of poor quality often contain high levels of hexane and other noxious chemicals used in the extraction process. Ginseng (Panax ginseng) is most definitely not ginseng if it doesn't break your pocketbook. Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) is overused, over harvested and misunderstood. The claims for the healing power of Aloe (Aloe spp.) (while a very valuable phytomedicine) greatly exaggerated. Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosis) (now called Eleuthero) is less effective (though still effective) with less-than-rigorous preparation methods, and a good percentage of the population will be either unaffected or adversely affected by valerian (Valeriana officinalis).
My point: treat herbalism more like prescription medications than like OTC meds. There are too many people after your wallet to go at this on your own. Take the time to get to know an herbalist in your community. It's money well spent, and the knowledge can last you a lifetime.