Botanicals Flashcards
Biologically based therapies
use of natural techniques to maintain health/treat diseases
- Make use of minerals, vitamins, fatty acids, proteins, probiotics
- May involve orthomolecular and chelation therapy
orthomolecular vs chelation therapy
Orthomolecular therapy = supplementing diet with mega doses of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, hormones, and amino acids
Chelation therapy = use of a drug to bind with and remove excess or toxic amounts of metal or minerals from the blood
major Biologically Based Therapy
botanical
Botanical
use of plants or plant parts to create scents or to develop therapeutic medicinal treatments
May include using a mixture of different herbs or a single herb
Herbal substances come from all parts of plants (roots, stalks, flowers, bark, seeds)
Herbs are used to ___________, ___________, ___________, and ___________
alleviate disease
prevent it form recurring
detoxify the body
support the immune system
Botanicals may be used to…
nutritional supplements: green tea, soy products, ginseng, Echinacea, garlic and red clover etc.
aromatherapy; provide fragrance
prescription and non-prescription drugs
History of Botanicals
60,000 Y/A: neanderthal man found with herbs
- 8 different species of plants were found at the burial site, and 7 of those are used for medicinal purposes today
5,000 Y/A: sumerians listed herbs on clay slabs
2,500 BC: Chinese book “Pen T’Sao” was written
60-80 AD: Dioscorides writes “De Materia Medica”
Early 1900s: beginning of scientific pharmacy
Chinese herbalism is based on the concepts of yin and yang and qi (chi) energy
yin herbs used for ____
Yan herbs used for
yin = cooling
yan = stimulating
Herbalist
a practitioner and contributor to the field of herbal medicine
Forms of Herbs
Crude Herbs
○ Dried, cut and sifted
Capsules & Tablets
○ Powdered, dried, or concentrated
Powders
Dried Decoctions
Tinctures
○ Concentrates or extracts made by soaking herbs in solutions (usually alcohol)
Poultice
○ Dried, grounded or powdered herb wrapped in thin cotton/wool cloth and applied to skin
Bulk herbs
harvested from an herbalist who has grown them in an herb garden or those you have grown/acquired from a health food store
(+)Allows you to learn how to process and store
(-) Cannot be sure of the level of constituents in the bulk herbs
Standardized herbs
have been processed, so a known minimum level of 1+ major active ingredients are present
(-) may be more expensive
_____/______ pans should not be used for brewing teas
Aluminium/cast iron = Metals disintegrate into the herbal preparation
*Use stainless steel, glass or ceramic
How Does the Government Control Herbs - Germany
Commissioned expert panel (German Commission E) composed of physicians, pharmacists, pharmacologists, toxicologists, and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry
- checks herbal data independently of other drugs to determine safety and efficacy of each herb
assess data from clinical trials, field studies, case studies, and independent medical association member
How Does the Government Control Herbs - USA
FDA evaluates safety and efficacy based on data supplied by the drug manufacturer (pharmaceutical company)
**1994 - U.S. Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA)
*allowed herbal products to be labeled with info including side effects, potential safety problems, contradictions
*Label cannot make statements that the herb is therapeutic or can treat/cure a disease
How Does the Government Control Herbs - Canada
- health canada regulates natural products
- follows Natural Health Product Regulations
assesses all natural health products before allowing their sale
Herbals are defined by the DSHEA as dietary supplements, described as products that:
○ Intended to supplement the diet
○ Contain 1+ dietary ingredients
○ Intended to be taken by mouth
Labeled as being a dietary supplement
How the FDA Approves New Drugs and Medical Devices
- Investigational new drug application
- Researcher submits preliminary animal and lab testing data/proposal for test on human/expected findings
- FDA has 30 days to submit questions - delays process or allows next step - Clinical Studies - 3 phases
i. Safety, dosage, effects on body are tested on 20-80 people (~1 year)
ii. Effectiveness and side effects are tested on 100-300 people with disease (~2)
iii. Drug is tested on 1,000-3,000 people with disease in clinics/hospitals- Benefits/long-term side effects are compared
- Marketing information (labels/warnings) are developed (~3)
- Benefits/long-term side effects are compared
- New Drug Application
○ NDA is submitted
○ Researchers submit applications containing all scientific data, how drug is processed, contents, packaging, samples
○ FDA begins 180-day approval period that can be delayed at any time for questions and additional research
○ FDA chemists, pharmacologists, physicians, statisticians, microbiologists, and other specialists review the NDA (~2.5)
- New Drug Application
Safety of herbal supplements depends on many factors such as
- Chemical makeup
- How the herb works in the body
- How it is prepared
- Dosage
- Interaction with other products
If FDA finds product unsafe =
take action against manufacturer, issue a warning, or remove from market
T or F: Herbal supplements have a better safety record than pharmaceutical drugs
T
many herbals May be dangerous when taken along prescription drugs
Gingko, garlic, ginseng, ginger, and St. John’s Wort = increase effect of prescription drug blood thinners and OTC (ibuprofen)
FDA has issued a public health advisory concerning many interactions
- Kava Kava = liver toxicity
- Valerian = overstimulating instead of sedating
- Garlic, Gingko, Ginger = increase risk of bleeding
- Evening Primrose = seizures
- St. John’s Wort = mild depression, sun sensitivity
- Red Yeast Rice Products = kidney complications
healthcare professionals:
____% do not recommend herbal supplements
__% reported not knowing enough about supplements to answer patient questions
_____% have not received education regarding herbal supplements
62%
66%
>50%
Pharmacists’ attitudes, knowledge, or professional practice behaviors regarding herbal supplements =
inconsistent results
T or F: Majority believed herbal supplements could be beneficial and that their colleagues do not accept herbal medicine
T
Precautions should be taken before buying an herb for medicinal use
- Discuss with physician - in case of drug interaction
- Research the company producing the herbal - ensure that the ingredients listed on the label are actually in the herbal preparation
Most Commonly Used Herbal Supplements
- Hawthorne
- St. John’s Wort
- Milk Thistle Seed
- Kava Kava
- Cat’s Claw
- Echinacea
- Arnica
- Creatine
- Ginger
- Cranberry
- Calendula
Garlic
