What makes the human brain attune itself to cults? Herbal remedies occupy a niche closer to cults than to commonsense. However, in our millenial time of regained Green sensitivity, of re-bonding with nature fantasies, such as vegan foods or wildlife sanctuaries, self-medication with mineral supplements and plant extracts feeds a thriving industry. Mineral supplements and commonsense? This is easily documented, for instance by Mayo Clinic recommendations, on the topic of Nutrients Easy Access, viz.:
“Vitamin A/ One small carrot (5 inches) provides about beta carotene 6,000 international units (IU) of vitamin A.
Vitamin B-3 Three ounces of tuna (canned in water) (niacin) has 11 milligrams (mg) of niacin.
Vitamin B-6 One medium banana contains about 0.4 mg of vitamin B-6.
Vitamin B-9 Half a cup (4 ounces) of cooked spinach (folate/folic acid) contains 130 micrograms (mcg) of folate.
Vitamin B-12 Three ounces of salmon contains about 5 mcg of vitamin B-12.
Vitamin C One medium orange has about 70 mg of vitamin C.
Vitamin D One cup (8 ounces) of fortified milk contains 100 IU of vitamin D.
Vitamin E One ounce of almonds (about 23 nuts) has more than 7 mg of
vitamin E.
Calcium One cup (8 ounces) of milk contains 300 mg of calcium.
Iron Three ounces of beef, pork, lamb or veal contains 2 to 3 mg of iron.
Magnesium One cup of cooked spinach has 150 to 160 mg of magnesium.
Potassium One medium banana has 422 mg of potassium. One medium
baked potato (with skin) contains 926 mg of potassium.
Selenium One slice of whole-wheat bread contains 10 mcg of selenium.
Zinc Three ounces of lean sirloin contains 5 mg of zinc.”
There are two dominant views of herbal remedies, the cultish traditional and the scientifically-informed. I won’t dwell on the latter, only reminding the reader of the aspirin story, that has inspired for several centuries already the devising by pharma of drugs based on natural products.
As for the cultish traditional, once mentioned the “to your health” upon sharing a glass of an alcoholic beverage, or the drinking of a cup of a herb tea, any research bumps against the vanished impact of tradition — which is a pity — yes, I greatly value histricl continuity.
Examples? The story of how, during the nineteenth century, Spanish priests in California missions paid no attention to herbal remedies that Native Americans used — with dire consequences for everyone’s health.
In the Greek island of Lemnos, a current problem is the decreased availability of certain plant taxa and harvesting sites. Islanders blame this
apparent neglect on external factors such as pollution, unusually dry weather, intentional pastureland burning or chemicals in agriculture, but also destructive harvesting by less knowledgeable harvesters.
In an Italian valley of the Piedmont, gathering and use of medicinal plants growing in meadows, forests and higher mountain environments no longer occurs. The ongoing behavior is collection of plant genera growing in more anthropogenic environments or possibly promoted via popular books and media. Which shows that social networks do not entirely replace one’s growing-up in a village community.
In my own country, France, there used to be shops known as herboristeries. They sold plants and their products. However, they became more or less outlawed when in 1941 the government licensed only pharmacists to sell plants or plants-based medications. The void created by the disappearance of herboristeries from French cities has been filled by
corporations selling herbal remedies, imported from all over the world, packaged and reconditioned in their European industrial plants. A craft close to agriculture, farming, fishing and hunting, was replaced by an industry fueled by advertising.
Leading questions about herbal remedies are value, in other words efficiency, possible side-effects and toxicity. To a significant extent, their value stems from the user’s belief they will
do her/him some good. Natural products can become imbued with the notion of the intrinsic goodness of nature. I know no better illustration of this notion than the title of a book by Pierre Potier, about natural products from plants, La pharmacie du Bon Dieu, i.e., Our God-Given Pharmacy. This is the view that the Garden of Eden carried over in today’s nature, which accordingly is inherently good and beneficial — which is true, to a degree.
Yet, plants can be toxic, having to fight off their animal predators, the herbivores. Accordingly, a degree of caution is called for. I just read about four British ladies who suffered liver damage after taking herbal medicines for relieving stress. All had been in good health previously; none could recollect having been in contact with jaundice or hepatitis; none had travelled abroad, or had abused drugs parenterally or otherwise, or had been given blood or blood products; and none took alcohol in excess. They purchased the two preparations implicated — named Kalms and Neurelax — from health shops.
Six of the most commonly used natural remedies for psychiatric conditions are the antidepressants St. John’s wort, omega-3 fatty acids, and S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe); the sedative-hypnotics valerian and melatonin; and the nootropic ginkgo biloba. Each of these shows benefits and liabilities. Commonsense commands to balance the former and the latter — on which I shall conclude.