Why Do People Use Botanicals?

Americans use botanicals in much the same way they use prescription pharmaceuticals recommended by their physician, or over-the-counter (OTC) medicines available at the local pharmacy-to treat symptoms, prevent disease, and maintain health and wellness.

Treatment

Although botanical medicines are classified as dietary supplements, not drugs, it is common knowledge that botanical medicines are medicines. As such, Americans use them much like conventional medicines to treat diseases and disease symptoms. For example, women use black cohosh and phytoestrogenic herbs, such as red clover, to treat symptoms of menopause.

There is a considerable amount of scientific and clinical evidence for the use of botanicals. See Is There Good Scientific Evidence? However, manufacturers of dietary supplements cannot, by law, claim that they treat or prevent disease and so cannot provide detailed information on how to use their supplements.

As a result, consumers who wish to use these products in an informed manner must look for outside sources of information, such as the internet. It is important to assess the credibility and accuracy of these sources before making treatment decisions. Who is providing the information? What evidence do they cite? Who is paying for the site? When was the content last updated? These are just a few questions to ask to determine if the site is reliable. For more details see How Do I Get the E-Facts?

Health maintenance and disease prevention

Botanicals are also commonly used to maintain health and prevent disease. There is good research to support these uses:

• Immune-active botanicals, such as echinacea, strengthen and tone immune functions.
• Antioxidant botanicals, such as green tea, prevent cancer, slow aging, and maintain cardiovascular functions.
• Botanicals, such as St. John's wort, alleviate common psychological symptoms, such as insomnia, anxiety, or mild depression. It has also been used in combination with black cohosh to relieve mood symptoms associated with menopause.
• Valerian can also help with insomnia, and kava can help reduce anxiety.
• Botanicals, such as ginger, treat or prevent a variety of gastrointestinal problems, from nausea to constipation.
• Botanicals, such as black cohosh and saw palmetto, treat reproductive system problems, such as menopause and prevention of prostate enlargement.

References

General Use

Balentine, D.A., Albano, M.C., Muraleedharan. G.N. (1999). Role of Medicinal Plants, Herbs, and Spices in Protecting Human Health. Nutrition Reviews, 57 (9), S41-S45.

Barrett, B., Kiefer, D., Rabago, D. (1999). Assessing the risks and benefits of herbal medicine: An overview of scientific evidence. Alternative Therapies, 5(4), 40-49.

Bennett J, B., CM. ( 2000) Use of herbal remedies by patients in a health maintenance organization. Journal of the American Pharmacists Assocociation, 40(3):353-8.

Ernst E. (2003) Herbal medicine for children. Clinical Pediatrics, 42:193-196.

Harnack LJ, DeRosier KL, Rydell SA. (2003) Results of a population-based survey of adult's attitudes and beliefs about herbal products. Journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association, 43:596-601.

Nartey, L., Huwiler-Muntener, K., Shang, A., Liewald, K., Juni, P., Egger, M. (2007). Matched-pair study showed higher quality of placebo-controlled trials in Western phytotherapy than conventional medicine. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 60(8), 787-794.

Echinacea

Barrett, B. (2003) Medicinal properties of Echinacea: a critical review. Phytomedicine, 10(1):66-86

Block, K.I., Mead, M,N. (2003) Immune system effects of echinacea, ginseng, and astragalus: a review. Integrative Cancer Therapies,

Dorsch, W. (1996) Clinical application of extracts of Echinacea purpurea or Echinacea pallida. Critical evaluation of controlled clinical studies. Z Arztl Fortbild (Jena), 90(2):117-22.

Melchart, D., Lindem K., Fischer, P., Kaesmayr, J. (2000) Echinacea for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database (CD000530).

Shah, Sacchin A., Sander, Stephen, White, Michael C., Rinaldi, Mike, Coleman, Craig I. (2007). Evaluation of echinacea for the prevention and treatment of the common cold: A meta-analysis. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 7(9), 580.

Green Tea

Chantre P, Lairon, D. (2002) Recent findings of green tea extract AR25 (Exolise) and its activity for the treatment of obesity. Phytomedicine, 9(1):3-8.

Cooper, R., Morre, J., Morre, D. (2005). Medicinal benefits of green tea: Part I. Review of noncancer health benefits. Journal of Alternative Complementary Medicine, 11(3), 521-528.

Cooper, R., Morre, J., Morre, D. (2005). Medicinal benefits of green tea: Part II. Review of anticancer properties. Journal of Alternative Complementary Medicine, 11(4), 639-652.

Hakim, I.A., Harris, R.B., Brown, S., Chow, H.H., Wiseman, S., Agarwal, S., Talbot, W. (2003) Effect of increased tea consumption on oxidative DNA damage among smokers: a randomized controlled study. Journal of Nutrition, 133(10):3303S-3309S.

St. John's Wort

Briese, V., Stammwitz, U., Friede, M., Henneicke-von, Zepelin, H.H. (2007). Black cohosh with or without St. John's wort for symptom-specific climacteric treatment-results of a large-scale, controlled, observational study. Maturitas, 57(4), 405.

Izzo, A.A. (2004). Drug interactions with St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum), a review of the clinical evidence. International Journal of Clinical Pharmacological Therapy, 42(3), 139-148.

Linde, K., Ramirez, G., Mulrow, C.D., Pauls, A., Weidenhammer, W. and Melchart, D. (1996). St. John's wort for depression-an overview and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. British Medical Journal, 313, 253-258.

Madabushi, R., Frank, B., Drewelow, B., Derendorf, H., Butterweck,V. (2006). Hyperforin in St. John's wort drug interactions. European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 63(2), 225.

Ranlov, C., Mehlsen, J., Thomsen, C.F., Hedman, C., von Fircks, H., Winther, K. (2006). The efficacy of St. John's wort in patients with minor depressive symptoms or dysthymia-a double-blind placebo-controlled study. Phytomedicine, 13(4), 215.

Ginger

Boone, S., Shields, K. (2005). Treating pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting with ginger. Annals of Pharmacotherapy, 39, 1710-1713.

Ernst, E. and Pittler, M.H. (2000). Efficacy of ginger for nausea and vomiting: A systematic review of randomized clinical trials. British Journal of Anesthesia, 84(3), 367-371.

Black Cohosh, Saw Palmetto

Avins, A. L., & Bent, S. (2006). Saw palmetto and lower urinary tract symptoms: What is the latest evidence? Current Urology Rep., 7(4), 260.

Hudson, T. (2006). Black cohosh update. Does it work? Is it hepatotoxic? Alternative Complementary Therapy, June, 132-135.

Li, J.X., Yu, Z.Y. (2006). Cimicifugae rhizoma: from origins, bioactive constituents to clinical outcomes. Current Medical Chemistry, 13(24), 2927-51.

Osmers, R., Friede, M., Liske, E., et al. (2005). Efficacy and safety of isopropanolic black cohosh extract for climacteric symptoms. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 105, 1074-1083.

Ulbricht, C., Basch, E., Bent, S., Boon, H., Corrado, M., Foppa, I., Hashmi, S., Hammerness, P., Kingsbury, E., Smith, M., Szapary, P., Vora, M., Weissner, W. (2006). Evidence-based systematic review of saw palmetto by the Natural Standard Research Collaboration. Journal of the Society for Integrative Oncology, 4(4), 170-86.

Wilt, T., Ishani, A., Mac Donald, R. (2002) Serenoa repens for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Cochrane Database (CD001423). 2(3):247-67. 5(6):283-9.