The Problem of Herbal Medicines Legal Status
The Problem of Herbal Medicines Legal Status

Author: José Luis Valverde

Publisher: IOS Press

Published: 1999

Total Pages: 108

ISBN-13: 9781586030056

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The main problem in the use of medicinal plants, discussed in this book, is that citizens are being persuaded that herbal medicine is based on its low or even absent toxicology. A good efficacy is assumed as self-evident, and therapeutic benefit without risks is expected. Many users prefer natural medicine instead of synthetic remedies. However, the number of reports on unwanted side effects of phytomedicines increased in the last years. In some instances, a lack of pharmaceutical quality was found. The unqualified recommendation of herbal medicines may represent a considerable risk to the user. The use of a herbal remedy with unproven efficacy can represent a risk for the user when a more effective and necessary treatment will therefore be stopped or omitted. These circumstances must be taken into account by the governments, inspection services, the doctors and the judges. The present approach to herbal medicines and fraud with these products do not receive the necessary punishment because it is believed that if the product does not have any therapeutic property, it cannot entail any harm either.

Herbal Medicine
Herbal Medicine

Author: Iris F. F. Benzie

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2011-03-28

Total Pages: 500

ISBN-13: 1439807167

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The global popularity of herbal supplements and the promise they hold in treating various disease states has caused an unprecedented interest in understanding the molecular basis of the biological activity of traditional remedies. Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects focuses on presenting current scientific evidence of biomolecular ef

Marijuana As Medicine?
Marijuana As Medicine?

Author: Institute of Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2000-12-30

Total Pages: 216

ISBN-13: 0309065313

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Some people suffer from chronic, debilitating disorders for which no conventional treatment brings relief. Can marijuana ease their symptoms? Would it be breaking the law to turn to marijuana as a medication? There are few sources of objective, scientifically sound advice for people in this situation. Most books about marijuana and medicine attempt to promote the views of advocates or opponents. To fill the gap between these extremes, authors Alison Mack and Janet Joy have extracted critical findings from a recent Institute of Medicine study on this important issue, interpreting them for a general audience. Marijuana As Medicine? provides patientsâ€"as well as the people who care for themâ€"with a foundation for making decisions about their own health care. This empowering volume examines several key points, including: Whether marijuana can relieve a variety of symptoms, including pain, muscle spasticity, nausea, and appetite loss. The dangers of smoking marijuana, as well as the effects of its active chemical components on the immune system and on psychological health. The potential use of marijuana-based medications on symptoms of AIDS, cancer, multiple sclerosis, and several other specific disorders, in comparison with existing treatments. Marijuana As Medicine? introduces readers to the active compounds in marijuana. These include the principal ingredient in Marinol, a legal medication. The authors also discuss the prospects for developing other drugs derived from marijuana's active ingredients. In addition to providing an up-to-date review of the science behind the medical marijuana debate, Mack and Joy also answer common questions about the legal status of marijuana, explaining the conflict between state and federal law regarding its medical use. Intended primarily as an aid to patients and caregivers, this book objectively presents critical information so that it can be used to make responsible health care decisions. Marijuana As Medicine? will also be a valuable resource for policymakers, health care providers, patient counselors, medical faculty and studentsâ€"in short, anyone who wants to learn more about this important issue.

Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States
Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States

Author: Institute of Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2005-04-13

Total Pages: 360

ISBN-13: 0309133424

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Integration of complementary and alternative medicine therapies (CAM) with conventional medicine is occurring in hospitals and physicians offices, health maintenance organizations (HMOs) are covering CAM therapies, insurance coverage for CAM is increasing, and integrative medicine centers and clinics are being established, many with close ties to medical schools and teaching hospitals. In determining what care to provide, the goal should be comprehensive care that uses the best scientific evidence available regarding benefits and harm, encourages a focus on healing, recognizes the importance of compassion and caring, emphasizes the centrality of relationship-based care, encourages patients to share in decision making about therapeutic options, and promotes choices in care that can include complementary therapies where appropriate. Numerous approaches to delivering integrative medicine have evolved. Complementary and Alternative Medicine in the United States identifies an urgent need for health systems research that focuses on identifying the elements of these models, the outcomes of care delivered in these models, and whether these models are cost-effective when compared to conventional practice settings. It outlines areas of research in convention and CAM therapies, ways of integrating these therapies, development of curriculum that provides further education to health professionals, and an amendment of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act to improve quality, accurate labeling, research into use of supplements, incentives for privately funded research into their efficacy, and consumer protection against all potential hazards.

Evidence-Based Validation of Herbal Medicine
Evidence-Based Validation of Herbal Medicine

Author: Pulok K. Mukherjee

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2022-07-12

Total Pages: 858

ISBN-13: 0323984568

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Evidence-Based Validation of Herbal Medicines: Translational Research on Botanicals brings together current thinking and practice in the characterization and validation of natural products. The book describes different approaches and techniques for evaluating the quality, safety and efficacy of herbal medicine, particularly methods to assess their activity and understand compounds responsible and their probable underlying mechanisms of action. This book brings together the views, expertise and experiences of scientific experts in the field of medicinal plant research, hence it will be useful for researcher who want to know more about the natural lead with their validation and also useful to exploit traditional medicines. - Includes state-of-the-art methods for detecting, isolating and performing structure elucidation by degradation and spectroscopic techniques - Highlights the trends in validation and value addition of herbal medicine with different scientific approaches used in therapeutics - Contains several all-new chapters on topics such as traditional-medicine-inspired drug development to treat emerging viral diseases, medicinal plants in antimicrobial resistance, TLC bio profiling, botanicals as medicinal foods, bioprospecting and bioassay-guided isolation of medicinal plants, immunomodulators from medicinal plants, and more

The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety
The Essential Guide to Herbal Safety

Author: Simon Y Mills

Publisher: Elsevier Health Sciences

Published: 2004-12-23

Total Pages: 704

ISBN-13: 0443071713

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Winner of American Botanical Council's 2005 James A. Duke Botanical Literature Award, the Essential Guide to Herbal Safety offers a balanced and objective perspective on the principles of herbal medicine safety as well as the complex challenges relating to self-prescribed or professionally prescribed herbal medications and supplements. With contributions from leading international practitioners and authorities, it contains comprehensive reviews, in monograph format, of the published safety data for 125 common herbs. You'll also find coverage of issues of quality, interactions, adverse reactions, toxicity, allergy, contact sensitivity, and idiosyncratic reactions. Provides the most current information on safety issues in herbal medicine. Presents authoritative and credible safety information from two experienced herbal practitioners. Combines theoretical chapters with 125 well-researched monographs, making it the most thorough and comprehensive text on the market for herbal safety in practice. Provides clear information using the most current evidence-based reviews, covering factors that influence herb safety, including the negative placebo effects (nocebo), various types of unpredictable effects, the basis for interactions between herbs and drugs, and quality issues. Uses an established grading system for assessing safety in pregnancy and lactation that is realistic and appropriate to herb use. Thoroughly critiques the dominant misinformation in the media and medical journals on herb safety issues. Contains 83 documented case studies on hepatoxicity and the effects in relation to kava. Kava safety is a hot topic. Includes two useful appendices detailing herbal references for pregnancy and lactation considerations.

WHO Guidelines on Good Agricultural and Collection Practices [GACP] for Medicinal Plants
WHO Guidelines on Good Agricultural and Collection Practices [GACP] for Medicinal Plants

Author: World Health Organization

Publisher: World Health Organization

Published: 2003-12-16

Total Pages: 81

ISBN-13: 9241546271

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Medicinal plant materials are supplied through collection from wild populations and cultivation. Under the overall context of quality assurance and control of herbal medicines WHO developed the Guidelines on good agricultural and collection practices (GACP) for medicinal plants providing general technical guidance on obtaining medicinal plant materials of good quality for the sustainable production of herbal products classified as medicines. These guidelines are also related to WHO's work on the protection of medicinal plants aiming promotion of sustainable use and cultivation of medicinal plants. The main objectives of these guidelines are to: (1) contribute to the quality assurance of medicinal plant materials used as the source for herbal medicines to improve the quality safety and efficacy of finished herbal products; (2) guide the formulation of national and/or regional GACP guidelines and GACP monographs for medicinal plants and related standard operating procedures; and (3) encourage and support the sustainable cultivation and collection of medicinal plants of good quality in ways that respect and support the conservation of medicinal plants and the environment in general. These guidelines concern the cultivation and collection of medicinal plants and include certain post-harvest operations. Good agricultural and collection practices for medicinal plants are the first step in quality assurance on which the safety and efficacy of herbal medicinal products directly depend. These practices also play an important role in protection natural resources of medicinal plants for sustainable use.