This is a companion piece about the risks from use of herbal remedies. It shows how heeding word of mouth recommendations can hasten your demise.
To bring up examples, Scuttelaria (Skullcap) is used against depression — but it can ruin your liver. Indeed, we all know about the ill effects of two widely used plant products, alcohol and caffeine — not to mention another addictive substance, nicotine, that has caused the untimely passing of scores of people.
The herb Aristolochia — various species from that genus — has traditionally been used to increase sex drive, boost immune function, and help menstruation. The active ingredient is aristolochic acid. It is both a potent carcinogen (cancer of the kidneys, liver, and bladder) and kidney toxin.
Hydrastis canadensis (Goldenseal) medicates against the common cold. If it helps the body fight infections, it also inhibits the two enzymes, CYP3A4 and CYP2D6. Their role is removal of dangerous chemicals, toxins and drugs, from the organism. In addition, goldenseal may affect blood pressure and increase the risk of bleeding from blood-thinning drugs, such as warfarin.
Green tea extract is popular to induce weight loss. However, it can be dangerous when combined with certain drugs, like amphetamines or prescribed medications such as IMAO antidepressants and quinolone antibiotics. It can lead to liver failure.
Kava, a popular drink in the South Pacific, has a demonstrated ability to alleviate stress, anxiety, and insomnia. In New Caledonia, kava bars are the one place where the native Kanaks and European or North American expatriates meet. Psychoactive kavalactones inhibit cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, that the body uses to detoxify drugs and foreign substances. Thus, regular kava use is toxic to the liver. Moreover, growers and producers started to use black kava, easier to harvest than the traditional white variety; they also began using shavings and parts of the plants that hadn’t been used before; and to extract it in a non-
traditional way that concentrated less on water-soluble lipids, altering the way our bodies absorb the herb. Plus, the plant was being ingested at such a rate that, when combined with other factors like pharmaceuticals and excessive alcohol intake, it was destroying people’s livers.
Since I alluded to profit-making, herbal remedies and mineral supplements feed a thriving (understatement) industry. The US alone provides a huge market, worth about 50 billion dollars at the time of writing. It still awaits its Ralph Nader. One-third to one-half of the adult U.S. population take dietary supplements. Users are more likely to be women, non-Hispanic whites and to be more financially secure than those who do not use such supplements (I have no idea why Latinos are less gullible than Anglos).
Ginkgo biloba, bilberry, and medical marijuana are amongst the most commonly used medicinal plants by glaucoma patients. Though ginkgo biloba and bilberry may prevent or slow down retinal ganglion cell death, there is no evidence yet to suggest they alter the course of glaucoma. Medical marijuana has shown intraocular pressure lowering in some. Its short duration of action, significant adverse effects, and addictive potential made it inappropriate for glaucoma. There is an abundance of other examples. I’ll stop here, I may have made my point.