herbal medicines Flashcards
why do ingredients in plants concentrations vary?
as plants are variable, there are different concentrations of active ingredient in each plant
ginkgo biloba?
used to improve the blood supply.
no link to a disease.
how can you get round the requirement for a herbal medicine registration?
for example turmeric, being sold as a food/dietary supplement not a herbal medicine, but people use it as a herbal medicine. (as it is for their health)
st johns worts (hypericum) is used for what ?
an anti- depressant. (not severe)
what drug is causing the action of hypericum (st johns worts)?
hyperforin by inhibiting reuptake of noradrenaline and serotonin in brain
what are some drug interactions of st johns worts?
it induces CYP450 enzymes.
so can increase metabolism of other drugs do these other drugs need to be given a higher dose.
can’t be taken with some other anti-depressants (paroxetine) as you will go into serotonins syndrome.
why is it dangerous to self prescribe herbal drugs?
herbal drugs don’t need a prescription.
patient could go to the GP & get prescribed a conventional drug but also take a herbal medicine without speaking to a GP/pharmacist .which has a drug interaction. this is dangerous.
what is the Ginkgo Biloba?
it is a leaf extract.
could relax blood vessels and reduce blood viscosity.
but this could make existing brain bleeding worse.
what evidence is there for the effectiveness of these herbal medicines?
if you look at the pure, concentrated active ingredient they seem to do have positive effects.
what are some medicinal properties of garlic?
anti-hypertensive, anti-thrombin, anti-microbial, cancer preventing and lipid lowering..
hydrogen sulphide - found in garlic
vasodilators and relaxes the blood vessels.
saw palmetto capsules are used for what?
benign prostatic hyperplasia.
can improve urinary blood flow.
may have effects on the prostate gland.
black cohosh caused what side effect?
liver toxicity in 10% so they have Candice.
what is the active agent in black cohosh?
standardised to deoxyactein but it is not known what is the active ingredient
what Is resveratrol found in?
in red wine or dark chocolate.
what are some suggested positive effects for resveratrol?
anti-inflammatory
anti-cancer
anti-oxidant
what are some risks with taking unlicensed herbal products?
poor manufacturing quality,
varying levels of the active ingredients,
misidentification of herbs,
high bacteria content
presence of herbicides,
contamination with toxic substances,
difference in label and actual ingredients (misleading labels)
why does the growth of the herb used in the herbal medicine affect its safety?
what are some sources of contamination?
changes in the active ingredient due to changes in the weather.
different parts of the plants may have different concentrations of the active ingredient
storage conditions of the plant could lead to fungal or bacterial contamination.
how can some herbal products have toxicity?
many plants have toxic constituents,
taking unprescribed herbal medicines means the dosage taken could be toxic as the dose does not account for a persons metabolism.
hypersensitivity to some herbal products could cause bad allergic reactions.
how can you make the herbal products safer?
lower the risk of toxicity and make the medicine more specific.
what is quinine used for?
anti-malarial.
what are some reasons that herbal medicine are not safe?
inexpert practitioners (including in the internet)
potentially toxic computes
potentially toxic compounds
self prescribing (especially taking herbal and conventional medicine)
some drugs can cause hepatotoxicity, what are these herbal drugs and what is hepatotoxicity?
chemical driven liver damage. kava extract black cohosh comfrey coltsfoot skullcap
