The Herbal Medicine Pharmacy Update

Introduction The continued use of herbal medicine in the United States and among members of Kaiser Permanente (KP) makes an updated review of this topic timely and important. Many pharmacies at KP facilities in Southern California now carry traditional herbal preparations. These “dietary supplements” are over-the-counter therapy that is not routinely screened for drug interaction by the pharmacy team. This article discusses herbal medicine with the interests of the physician in mind by emphasizing the importance of understanding the risks and benefits of herbal treatment. We use the skills taught to us by Eddy to determine if selected herbal medicines pass the evidence-based-medicine test. We discuss selected examples of herbal medicine that have the potential to harm patients. The discussion is not intended to be a complete review of all aspects of herbal remedies.