The problem with herbal cures is that no one is regulating the
manufacturers for standards in dosage and purity, but the manufacturers
themselves. Tablets of St. John's Wort can vary in effectiveness between
brands and batchs, while 20mg of prozac will always have the same dosage
of active drug.
Also, people seem more inclined to discount the serious side effects and
drug interactions that can occur with herbal remedies. For example, people
taking St. John's Wort should avoid excess exposure to the sun. Some
herbal remedies can interact with certain medical treatments and drugs as
well with dire consequences for the patient who doesn't tell their doctor
what they are taking, -including- herbal suppliments.
Many of our pharmecuticals originally derived from herbal remedies.
Herbals are all that mankind had to use before we had the ability to
isolate just which active chemical in the plant was actually giving us the
benefits against certain diseases and conditions. Certainly herbal
remedies still have their place, if they are used with education and a
watchful eye, just as with any medical drug. People should educate
themselves fully on the effects of any chemical they take into themselves,
whether medical or herbal, whether it comes from a doctor's office or
over-the-counter. But a great many don't, blindly trusting in their doctor
or the latest media/advertising hype.
On Sat, 30 Oct 1999, J B wrote:
>
> <SNIP>
> And before anyone thinks I'm flaming people who seek a hearty dose
> of western medicine, I'm not
> <SNIP>
>
> The herbal route actually is western medicine, though more in the
> traditional way, rather than the modern one....
>
> It is rather sad that we have become so dependent on artificial cures, when
> the natural (ie-herbal) way is as effective, if not more so, in some or most
> cases.....the indiginous tribes had it right...
>
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