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Pro's and
Con's of Herbal Medications- Overview
Roberts, Joan 1
Fordham University, 113 West 60th Street, NYC, NY 100231
Abstract-
Herbs and plant-derived tonics have been used for thousands of years
to maintain health and prevent disease. In recent years, these natural
products have been sold as over-the-counter remedies for a variety of
disorders ranging from insomnia and weight loss to cures for viral infections
and cancer. At this time, there are no comprehensive evaluations of
the safety and efficacy of these products. Furthermore there are no
specific standards for the either the purity of the samples nor the
exact concentration of the active materials contained in the product
that is sold. Thus one product offered by different manufactures may
contain substantially different dosages of active ingredient. Nonetheless,
certain herbs and phyto-nutrient foods are widely used and in some cases
highly effective. Presented in this symposium are the most recent advances
in our understanding of the underlying mechanism of action of some of
the popular over the counter remedies. All medications, including herbal
remedies, have the potential to produce side effects. The toxicity of
natural products will also be addressed.
Keywords: herbal
medicines, alternative medicine, phototoxicity
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