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There has been a virtual explosion of interest in all kinds of …
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While advising about herbal remedies for children, the researchers suggest parents should be cautioned not to equate "natural" with "safe." It has been a general tendency of the mothers to frequently treat their children's minor ailments with herbal remedies. This is not at all unusual; nowadays, more and more parents are not only taking herbal remedies themselves but also giving them to their children. The trend is gathering a surprising amount of momentum. Some parents are turning to herbal remedies because they are suspicious of pharmaceutical drugs, or because prescription drugs aren't solving their children's chronic health problems, such as frequent colds and ear infections. Many doctors feel that it's too dangerous to give herbal remedies to children. Because herbal remedies are not regulated as drugs, and because manufacturers are not responsible for proving the safety and efficacy of their products, one can't be sure what he is getting. Many herbal remedies are used to treat disorders that keep us awake, like insomnia. Herbal remedies are also used as stimulants to combat excessive daytime sleepiness, or even just to give a boost when energy begins to wilt. The stimulant herbal drug of choice is caffeine in a cup of tea or coffee to get someone going in the morning, and a few more throughout the day to keep the energy level high. Caffeine is a drug and in fact, it is the most widely used drug in the world. Caffeine can cause irregular heartbeats, ulcers and heartburn. The stimulant herb, ephedra (Ephedra gerardiana) which is used to relieve bronchial congestion or asthma induced bronchial constriction can cause heart attacks, strokes and other health problems. Another stimulant (and supposedly an aphrodisiac,) yohimbine causes hypertension, increased heart rate,irritability and water retention. There are several herbal sedatives available, including valerian (Valeriana wallichii), hops (Humulus lupulus) and German chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla). These herbs seem to have few side effects and anyone who suffers from allergies should avoid it. Similarly, Aristolochia plant species contain toxic and carcinogenic aristolochic acids associated with kidney failure and cancer. Many common herbs like garlic (Allium sativum), ginger (Zingiber officinale), gingko (Gingko biloba) and ginseng (Panax ginseng) are known to interfere with anticoagulants which may cause spontaneous and excessive bleeding. Garlic is also known to decrease the effectiveness of immunosuppressants and HIV protease inhibitors. Gingko can also increase the amount of antidepressant medication in the blood. When combined with antipsychotic medications, ginkgo may cause seizures. Used with warfarin, ginseng can increase your risk of bleeding problems. Ginseng with phenelzine may cause headache, trembling and manic behavior. Ginseng may interfere with digoxin's pharmacologic action or the ability to monitor digoxin's activity. Also, the combination of St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) with some antidepressants, such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, may cause an excess of serotonin (serotonin syndrome). Typical symptoms include headache, stomach upset and restlessness. St. John's wort may reduce the effectiveness of some oral contraceptives. Senna and Cascara sagrada which are used to relieve constipation may cause diarrhoea, a more serious condition in children than in adults. Consumed over an extended period of time, they may result in potassium depletion and even heart problems. Liquorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra), which is used as a cough remedy and for stomach problems among other things, can raise blood pressure in some people. Bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva ursi), which is in remedies for urinary infections and fluid retention, can irritate the kidneys if used excessively.6-9 There is yet another complexity -- herbalists around the planet don't use just one plant. Most herbalists use six, eight, ten, twelve plants for a given individual. Some of the plants will be used to diminish symptoms of the disease. Some will be used to treat the underlying abnormality. Some will be used to improve the digestion of the rest of the plant so it can be absorbed more completely. While efforts continue to establish and regulate good manufacturing practices for herbals, no standards or guidelines exist to assure quality. There are no provisions for pre-marketing approval to demonstrate safety and efficacy. Plant materials may be misrepresented or substituted by manufacturers, or may contain environmental or man-made contaminants. They may contain little or none of the plant materials listed on the label, or an entirely different plant material than is listed on the label. Furthermore, the ingredients aren't always listed on the packaging of herbal products; the amount of the active ingredient found in each dose is not necessarily standardized; and, in some instances, the herbs we buy no longer contain the active ingredient thought to have curative properties. The fact that there are no quality controls on herbal remedies leaves open a number of possibilities. For one, plants vary widely in the amount of an allegedly beneficial substance they contain, according to where they grew, the weather in the growing season, time of harvest, soil composition, etc. Once harvested, the leaves, roots, or other elements can then be mixed with others, adulterated, or contaminated, making a given dose of an herbal "variable and unpredictable," a special concern where children are concerned.
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