use of pesticides, including insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, and other
agents, with a tenfold increase in potency. Pesticide use on herbs is
disastrous. According to the U.S. National Cancer Institute, cancer rates
increase by seven or eight times through ingestion of pesticide-
contaminated foods — not something that sits comfortably with herbs that
are going to be used for medicine.
Sulfured herbs are now available; apricots and peaches are sulfured to
keep their color and for storage, but do we want sulfured herbs as well?
Rodents and insects are sometimes found among herbs. Microbes — for
example fungi and bacteria — need to be kept to a minimum, but herbs are
often sprayed in transit with noxious chemicals like ethylene oxide, thus
causing them to become toxic. Bacteria such as E. coli and those causing
typhus have been found in herbs, particularly low-growing plants, during
monsoon seasons.
Some herbs are sprayed with antibiotics to bypass the need for
expensive laboratory testing to determine toxicity and microbial levels
(which are often unacceptably high). The resulting products are called
pretreated and passed as “clean.” Another way in which herb companies
have sought to “clean up” herbs is by using autoclaving, a cleaning process
that utilizes steam. Originally used solely for surgical tools, this
sterilization technique is now used on herbs in an attempt to lessen
severely the risk of contamination. Yet another method is to irradiate
herbs, another controversial process that is routinely used on some foods.
Very often the fact that the product has been irradiated is not put on the
label, and recently some companies in Britain selling imported herbs were
prosecuted for not disclosing this information.
In other cases the MHRA tested commonly sold, over-the-counter
herbal remedies and some of the results were shocking though not
surprising. Many were found to contain very little or almost no actual
active herb ingredients. Often ash was the main constituent. This is what
brings herbs into disrepute and fuels the “they don’t work” problem
which is common to Britain and worldwide. (For high quality U.S. herbs
see the American Botanical Pharmacy on page xii.)
The bottom line is that organic (or clean, wild-collected) herbs have to
become the only type of herb acceptable to the industry, which can
happen if the public demands it. Exclusive use of such herbs needs to be
coupled with procedures to analyze each plant’s authenticity of species
and with use of appropriate storage facilities, including storage of fresh
tinctures or freeze-dried herbs, to ensure minimum spoilage and
maximum potency.
26 The Complete Home Guide to Herbs, Natural Healing, and Nutrition