Summary
Herbal therapy is the use of plants called herbs to treat symptoms and diseases.
The government and the medical community do not regulate herbal therapies.
This results in a lack of standards for the manufacture and sale of herbal therapies.
The quality, purity, dosage, and side effects may be different for the same herb.
There are different forms of herbal therapies. These are oils, balms, creams,
ointments, teas, tinctures, capsules, tablets, and syrups. Although herbs are
available in these forms, some herbs should only be administered externally and
not used internally.
While herbal therapies provide patients with a therapeutic effect, they can
also leave the patient exposed to hazards. When combined with conventional
therapies, herbal therapies can produce a toxic effect or an adverse reaction.
The nurse should ask if the patient is taking herbal therapies and, if so, for
what condition. The patient should be taught about herbal therapies, the risks
and benefits, and then given clear instructions on how to continue herbal thera-
pies while undergoing conventional treatment—if approved by the patient’s
healthcare provider.
Quiz
- Herbal therapies
(a) require FDA approval.
(b) are safe to use to self-medicate as long as the patient isn’t undergo-
ing conventional therapy.
(c) are industry regulated.
(d) are none of the above. - The “herbal prozac” is
(a) sage.
(b) St. John’s Wort.
(c) psyllium.
(d) Kave Kava. - The patient should not take an herb unless which of the following infor-
mation in on the package?
(a) Scientific name
(b) Manufacturer’s name and address
(c) Batch and lot number
(d) All of the above
CHAPTER 8 Herbal Therapy^135