Medicinal herbs: drugs or dietary supplements?

نویسنده

  • J Chang
چکیده

The process of evaluating medicinal herbs is complex, and there is a need to carefully define a research strategy that addresses a solution to safe and efficacious herbal products. Notwithstanding the immense value of distilling the pharmacological activity of an herb into a chemical suitable for drug development, another approach is to develop a standardized herbal extract that yields consistent pharmacological activity. However, it frequently is forgotten that even in an extract several active ingredients contribute to the pharmacological action. Sufficient evidence exists to suggest that extracts of medicinal herbs, once isolated in their pure state, can produce pharmacological effects that differ significantly from that of the whole herb. This article discusses a research-based strategy that may be suitable for validating, in part, the putative health benefits of medicinal herbs. Additionally, the body of scientific evidence that underpins the pharmacological activity of several herbs is reviewed briefly.

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

منابع مشابه

Oxidative Stress in Periodontitis

Herbal medicines, including herbs, herbal preparations and finished herbal products, contain as active ingredients parts of plants or other plant materials perceived to have therapeutic benefits [1]. About 80% of the worldwide population use herbal products for their basic health care (primary care) such as extracts, teas and other active principles, a market estimated at US$ 50 billion per yea...

متن کامل

Pharmacognostic Methods for Analysis of Herbal Drugs, According to European Pharmacopoeia

At the present time, according with the WHO reports, about 80 % of the world’s population use herbal medicines for some aspects of their primary health care. This phenomena is in relationship with a rapidly expanding of the phytopharmaceutical industry and market, especialy for dietary supplements. Unfortunately, these supplements are insufficiently studied and have a low quality. For this reas...

متن کامل

Pharmacognostic Methods for Analysis of Herbal Drugs, According to European Pharmacopoeia

At the present time, according with the WHO reports, about 80 % of the world’s population use herbal medicines for some aspects of their primary health care. This phenomena is in relationship with a rapidly expanding of the phytopharmaceutical industry and market, especialy for dietary supplements. Unfortunately, these supplements are insufficiently studied and have a low quality. For this reas...

متن کامل

Herbal medicines today and the roots of modern pharmacology.

The transformation of digitalis from a folk medicine, foxglove, to a modern drug, digoxin, illustrates principles of modern pharmacology that have helped make drugs safer and more effective. Digitalis was improved because its preparation was standardized, first by bioassay and then by chemical methods; however, few of today's herbs are standardized by methods that can ensure a consistent produc...

متن کامل

A Mechanistic Review on Medicinal Plants Used for Diabetes Mellitus in Traditional Persian Medicine

Diabetes mellitus is the most common endocrine disorder and a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Traditional medicines worldwide suggest a wide range of natural remedies for the prevention and treatment of chronic disorders, including diabetes mellitus. This mechanistic review aims to highlight the significance of medicinal plants traditionally used as dietary supplements in Persian medici...

متن کامل

ذخیره در منابع من


  با ذخیره ی این منبع در منابع من، دسترسی به آن را برای استفاده های بعدی آسان تر کنید

برای دانلود متن کامل این مقاله و بیش از 32 میلیون مقاله دیگر ابتدا ثبت نام کنید

ثبت نام

اگر عضو سایت هستید لطفا وارد حساب کاربری خود شوید

عنوان ژورنال:
  • Biochemical pharmacology

دوره 59 3  شماره 

صفحات  -

تاریخ انتشار 2000