What's wrong with herbal medicine?

It's that time of the year when people start taking echinacea in efforts to ward off colds and flu.

Echinacea is a prime example of blind faith. I give reasons why people SHOULD NOT take echinacea... and these same reasons apply to many other herbal remedies.


Some related articles and studies
RICHARD SADOVSKY, M.D.
Barrett BP, et al. Treatment of the common cold with unrefinedechinacea. Ann Intern Med December 17, 2002; 137:939-46

^ "Efficacy and safety of echinacea in treating upper respiratory tract infections in children: a randomized controlled trial", Taylor, J. A., et al. 2003., Journal of the American Medical Association 2003 Dec 3;290(21):2824-30

^ "An evaluation of Echinaceae angustifolia in experimental rhinovirus infections." Turner, R. B. et al. 2005., New England Journal of Medicine 353: 341-348

Herbal medicines. "Selected clinical considerations focusing on known or potential drug-herb interactions.", Miller, Lucinda G., 1998, Archives of Internal Medicine 158: 2200-2211

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• herbal
• remedies
• alternative
• medicine
• echinacea
• cold
• flu
• science
• rational
• thought
• commentary
• analysis
• documentary

[SDTricker]

Thanks for the info man. I am not sure why you named the video "What's wrong with herbal medicine?" Do you think all herbal medicine is worthless? Also, what are your solutions then? Thanks in advance.

[imrational]

@SDTricker

Herbals are not "worthless" at all. Aspirin, Digitalis and other drugs came from herbs. I'm more about wanting people to think skeptically and realize that there are dangers in alternative medicine. Natural does not automatically equal safe.

[briteness]

I hardly know where to begin with a strident preacher such as yourself. So arrogant, so self-righteous. I will say this, though: I have just as much scepticism regarding the alternative health industry as I do towards the AMA-based industry. That is to say, I don't take anything either one says on faith, but I don't automatically dismiss them either. I do my own research, to the extent that I can, and have, thank God, managed to avoid both for the most part.

[imrational]

@briteness

How am I being arrogant? How am I being self-righteous?

I think I am being rational and logical about my stances. Please point out the flaws in my reasoning.

[pkkda]

An estimated 106,000 hospitalized patients die each year from drugs which, by medical standards, are properly prescribed and properly administered. More than two million suffer serious side effects. Reference: Lazarou J, Pomeranz BH, Corey PN: "Incidence of adverse drug reactions in hospitalized patients." JAMA 1998;279:1200. This is only for hospitalized patients, how about the ones not in the hospital? If the statistics were as bad for herbs, they would be outlawed!!!!

[pkkda]

@imrational The primary reason drugs exist is that they can be patented and hence bring profits – THAT is the bottom line. Herbs cannot be patented; and that is the primary reason for isolating the components from the herbs – not because all the other components in the herb are necessarily harmful, but to make drugs.

[Shangrily]

i have studied herbal medicine for years now. Not all herbal supplements are as ineffective as echinacea. Gensing is considered an herbal supplement and it is very effective for increasing focus, mint leaves are an effective laxative, and Aloe vera is used by practically everyone for burns or rashes.

[pkkda]

@imrational I was attempting to point out that if foxglove (your example) has to be taken in such large doses that its other components would be harmful, then why take it in the first place? Look for another herb or natural therapy. So I didn't really prove your point.