Posted by psychobot5000 on October 12, 2006, at 11:08:10
In reply to 'No science' behind health drugs, posted by Meri-Tuuli on October 3, 2006, at 9:53:11
I must disagree somewhat with many opinions stated.
It costs 300-500 million dollars to bring a drug to market in the US--this goes into research on what the active chemical is, extensive evidence of its efficacy and sefety.
It is certainly not a perfect system, but I disagree strongly that herbs are safe from interactions--the moreso because they are not studied enough. Lack of information is dangerous. Information about herbs concerning what the mechanism(s) of action are, what liver and kidney enzymes are effected, toxicity, even proof of efficacy and what the active chemicals are, are almost always severely lacking.
The whole system is broken, because, without patents, medical researchers have no financial assets available to do extensive research on herbs. But it does not change the fact lack of knowledge is dangerous. And indeed, even better-known remedies like hypericum certainly do not have enough evidence (in terms of study-size, results, double-blind quality, and research into toxicity at the very least) to compare with approved pharmaceutical remedies. As a drug, even hypericum would be kicked back for another 200 million dollars of research before it were approved. There is legitimacy to the point of view suggesting that many herbal uses are not supported, or not supported adequately, by science.
Herbalists are also rash and ill-informed. How can you be well-informed when the information is not known in the first place? I've many times been in alternative stores and heard employees acting as authorities on the subject rattling off extensive advice on remedies that I, with my very limited knowledge, knew were dangerous or unsupported--'Oh, well you're sick? Let's just pile the ephedra on top of the ginseng, green tea, natural MAO inhibitors, eleuthero, rhodiola rosea and ginkgo biloba...and probably best to double-up and add some guarana and kola just to keep you going while you're under the weather. Now let's ring you up and do come back and see us again.'
And don't forget that the alternative health industry is a business too--they rely on sales as much as anyone.
As for interactions between herbs, we forget that many herbs are flat-out poisonous, and that alternative remedies can be very dangerous when combined with drugs (i.e. SSRIs plus St John's or tryptophan).
As for interactions between herbs, well, we wouldn't know. Because it's not studied much.
Sigh...it's not an easy issue, I guess. I don't mean to offend, but I feel people exaggerate the benefits of herbs as much as those of drugs, disregard irresponsible practices by herbalists, and forget that alternative medicine is also an industry. A balanced view is necessary.
Still, I wouldn't want you taking away my herbs. :)
poster:psychobot5000
thread:691467
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/alter/20060817/msgs/694124.html