Herbal medicines how they work

Herbal Medicines- How they work

Herbal remedies are they safe. Here is some cautionary advise concerning treating your medical condition or just supplementing your diet with herbs.

Herbs, herbal medicine, herbal remedies, alternative medicine

The medical use of herbs is widespread. In a multi-ethnic group of patients attending an emergency department in New York 22% reported that they used herbal medicines; use was highest among Asians, 37%. It is important therefore for clinicians to document use of herbal medicines as part of the patient's drug profile. Plants synthesize complex (organic) molecules for their structure and function, and therefore are a rich source of chemicals. Active chemicals purified from plants are accepted effective medications e.g. digoxin, and morphine. When parts of plants or crude extracts of plants are used for medicinal purposes they are called herbal medicines.

What is the active ingredient in herbal medicines?

Most herbal medicines contain hundreds of chemicals and there is often no agreement as to which is potentially active. An example is garlic, comprised of many sulfur compounds, several of which are candidates for possible therapeutic activity.

How can one be sure that herbal medicines contain what is on

 

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