Safety of herbal medicines and natural remedies. Do they work? And are they harmless?
Contrary to the popular belief, herbal remedies are not 100% harmless. Plants consist of the same chemicals that the drugs are often made of. Many prescription medications available today are derived from plants. FDA warns consumers against using herbal supplements on a constant basis. While some of the properties of these medicinal herbs are widely known and used, other properties have not been studied and may be potentially dangerous to the consumers (particularly in large doses or for prolonged periods of time). Every plant is made off at least a dozen chemicals, and while some may have, for example, anti-inflammatory properties, others may have effects that are undesirable to one or the other system in our body.
In addition, introducing new chemical compounds to our body always carries a risk of developing an allergic reaction, ranging from hives to life-threatening anaphylactic shock. In a word, proceed with caution. Herbal supplements are no different than any other drugs. Consult your physician, as herbal supplements can interact with other medications that you may be taking.
Another word of warning is against taking too many herbal medicines at once. After all, mixing such a tremendous amount of different chemicals may result in unpredictable chemical reactions and formation of substances that are toxic or even carcinogenic.
Details to come soon...