relieve TOOTHACHE, headache, and other pains, yet
it was not until 1899 that researchers isolated and
synthesized this key ingredient. About 30 percent
of the drugs and medicines in use today derive
from plant sources—the HEARTmedication digoxin
from foxglove, for example, and the anticancer
DRUGtamoxifen from the yew tree. Complemen-
tary and alternative therapies employ hundreds of
plant-based remedies.
Effectiveness
Until the 1980s, there were few US clinical
research studies to evaluate the benefits, risks, and
effectiveness of botanical therapies, though Euro-
pean countries have conducted countless clinical
studies. Germany’s Commission E Monographs, a
document that extensively documents the effec-
tiveness and safety of more than 300 herbs and
botanicals, stands as one of the definitive treatises
on botanical remedies, analogous to Western med-
icine’s pharmacopoeias. The Commission E
updates the Monographsevery few years as it com-
pletes investigation of additional products. Many
practitioners around the world rely on the Mono-
graphs for information about benefits, risks,
dosages, and forms of botanical therapies.
As interest has surged among Americans in
using these therapies, US researchers have
expanded their studies of them. Plant-based thera-
pies in the research spotlight are PHYTOESTROGENS,
for their effects in relieving hormonal discomforts
related to MENOPAUSEand their potential ability to
head off PROSTATE CANCERand BREAST CANCER, and
SOYfor its role in preserving cardiovascular health.
Recent clinical studies have demonstrated the
value of the herb BILBERRYto improve night vision
and prevent cataracts, the herb MILK THISTLEto pro-
tect the LIVER’s ability to restore itself, the herb ST.
JOHN’S WORTto treat mild to moderate DEPRESSION,
and the extract SAW PALMETTOto treat BENIGN PRO-
STATIC HYPERPLASIA(BPH).
Other remedies have failed to produce clinical
evidence of their effectiveness, such as the herb
DONG QUAIto treat HOT FLASHESand other discom-
forts of menopause. This does not mean the rem-
edy is ineffective; it means only that so far
researchers do not understand how the remedy
functions in the body and cannot consistently
reproduce the claimed beneficial results. Much
research continues in the areas of botanicals and
herbal remedies.Forms and Preparations
The part of the plant from which the botanical
product derives also affects its potency. Seeds and
roots generally contain the highest concentrations
of plant chemicals, while leaves or stems contain
weaker concentrations. Common preparations of
botanicals include the following:- Extracts are made by soaking the plant in water
to draw out its active ingredients, and the liquid
becomes the product. Extracts also are evapo-
rated out to leave the product in a powder form
that manufacturers may package as loose pow-
der or in capsules, or form into tablets. - Tinctures are made by soaking the plant in
ALCOHOLor a mixture of alcohol. The water
draws out the active ingredients, and tinctures
remain in liquid form. - Teas are made from fresh, dried, or freeze-dried
parts of the plant. Manufacturers may package
them loose or in tea bags. - Capsules contain powdered plant parts (usually
extracts). - Tablets are compressed powders containing the
plant ingredients as well as inert binders and
fillers. - Liquids are usually extracts or decoctions in
bottled form.
Most herbalists recommend staying as “close to
the earth” as possible, using actual plant parts
(fresh, dried, or extracted) rather than supple-
ments manufactured from isolated ingredients.Standardization
Medicinal botanicals have been in use in Europe
for millennia, and strict standards now govern
their manufacture and use in most European
countries. Many require a doctor’s prescription. In
the United States, most medicinal botanicals and
herbal preparations fall under minimal regulatory
oversight as dietary supplements. The US Congress
passed the Dietary Supplement Health and Educa-
tion Act in 1994, allowing dietary supplement
classification for any substance other than TOBACCOmedicinal herbs and botanicals 83