- Keep herbs away from children.
- Use fresh herbs.
- Don’t delay seeking healthcare if you experience adverse symptoms.
- Herbs are not a miracle cure.
Make sure that the patient thinks of herbs as medicine that is less potent than
conventional medication. However, adverse reactions can occur if conventional
medication is taken with herbal therapy. For example, some conventional med-
ication may act faster than expected when combined with herbal therapy.
The patient should not take any herbal where the following information is not
included on the packaging:
- Scientific name of the product and the part of the plant used in the
preparation - Manufacturer’s name and address
- Batch and lot number
- Date of manufacture and expiration.
Commonly Used Herbs
The following is a list of commonly used herbs.
ALOE VERA (ALOE BARBADENSIS)
Aloe Vera juice is used to treat minor burns, insect bites, and sunburn. It is also
a powerful laxative when taken internally and can increase menstrual flow if
given in small doses.
CHAMOMILE (MATRICARIA RECUTITA)
Chamomile is dried flower heads that are used in herbal tea for relief of diges-
tive and GI disruptions such as irritable bowel syndrome and infant colic.
Chamomile also has a sedative effect. It is also used in instances where the
patient is allergic to daisy or ragweed-like plants. Chamomile can cause hives
and bronchoconstriction.
CHAPTER 8 Herbal Therapy^131