Plants as Alternative Medicines Flashcards
complimentary Alternative Medicine (CAM) includes (3)
- all practices outside the domain of conventional medicine
- focus on preventing or treating illness
- promoting health & well being
how does complimentary alternative medicine complement mainstream medicine (3)
- contributing to a common whole
- satisfying a demand not met by conventional medicine
- diversifying the conceptual framework of medicine
the use of essential volatile oils to heal or improve well being
aromatherapy
how is aromatherapy adminstered (3)
- inhalation
- oral
- applied to skin through massage
Define classical Aromatherapy and the concept it is based on
- used in conjuction with massage
- the terpenoid oils are absorbed through the skin into blood and lymph systems
what are three types of aroma therapy
- classical
- cosmetic
- clinical
what is clinical aromatherapy
- use of essential oils internally
- practiced by the French
- used orally, pessaries or suppositories
what are bach flower remedies
extracts of flowers claimed to cure negative mental states
what is an example of a bach remedy
rescue remedy
how are bach remedies prepared
- by placing flowers on the surface of water in a glass vessel in the sun
- the solution is preserved in brandy then diluted
what is homeopathy
the use of plant tinctures, metal salts and some animal therapies in very dilute quantities
what are three key concepts in homeopathy
- like cures like
- minimal doses
- treatment of whole person
homeopathic medicines granted licensure under a simplified registration process as long as the following three criteria are met
- the medicine is for oral or external use
- there is no therapeutic claim
- the concnetration of the product is NMT 1 part/10,000 of the mother tincture
New rules in 2007 allowed for licensure with a claim for homeopathic medicines as long as the following 4 things are demonstrated
- the applicant demonstrates that the product is a homeopathic product
- the product does not require medical diagnosis, treatment or monitoring
- efficacy based on use of product in Ireland
- safety of product has bee estalished
system of alternative medicine where diagnosis is made by a practictioner influenced by the belief that the illness id due to a lack of balance in the body
medical herbalism
herbalistic medicine is a supportive process that focuses on herbs which
- support or modify body function, lift it up so to speak
- triggers the body’s defense mechanisms by trying to normalize body chemistry and elmination of toxins
aperient
mild laxitive
depurgative or eliminative
- encourage body to eliminate
diaphoretic and sudiforetic
promote sweating in feverish states
what is sweating thought to do
remove toxins from the body
what are routes of elimination (4)
- skin - sweating
- lungs - coughing
- bowel - pooping
- kidneys - urine
what are rubefacients and what is the principle in their use
- induce local vasodilation in skin by increasing blood flow, improving cleansing and nourishing of affected tissues
what is the concept of ‘Vital Force’ in herbalism
- noursining, supportive and healing actions of herbs towards the common goal of maintaining functional integrity of the organism
how do alternative plants work in herbalism and what is an alternative word for them
- change metabolic processes so tissues can best deal with the functions of nutrition and elimination
- ‘Blood Purifiers’
use of plant products to treat symptoms of a common minor ailment by self medication
phytotherapy
what is a phytomedicine
- medicinal product containing as active ingredients
- plants
- parts of plants
- plant materials
- or any combination thereof
why is it difficult to assess the safety, efficacy and quality of phytotherapy
because the emphasis is on mild acting whole plants
what is often the active part of a phytotherapeutic
secondary metabolite
what is an example of a plant that is more active than the secondary metabolite
senna pod is more active than sennoside
what are two abortifacients and what do they do
- juniper and pennyroyal
- cause abortion
what can the toxicity or adverse effects of herbal medicines commonly be attributed to (3 things)
- the wrong plant was collected
- it is related to other plants
- the herb was contaminated during harvesting, storage or processing
the quality of phytomedicines is assured by these (7) assessments
- correct identification of plants
- micro and macroscopic
- checked for adulteration with other toxic plants
- correct spectrum or profile of compounds in the correct quantity
- information of pesticide residue in plant
- absence of pathogenic organisms
- aflatoxins from fungi
- heavy metal content
- radioisotope content
what is used to replace clinical and tox studies in submissions for licensure for herbal products
bibliographies on pk, tox and clinical effectiveness
herbals are often licensed through
“well established use” pathways
what is a herbal medicine defined as by EMA
any medicinal product exclusively containin as active ingredients, one or more herbals substances or one or more herbal preparations, or one or more herbal substances in combination with one or more herbal preparations
what is a herbal substance
all mainly whole, fragmented or cut plants, plant parts, algae, fungi, lichen in unprocessed, ususally dried form, but sometimes fresh. Certain exudates that have not been subjected to a specific treatment.
Herbal substances are defined by plant part used and botanical name according to binomial system (genus, species, variety, author)
preparation obtained by extraction, distillation, expression, fractionation, purification, concentration, or fermentation including comminuted or powdered herbal substances, tinctures, extracts, essential oils, expressed juices and processed exudates
herbal preparation
what certification is granted under new directives
certificate of traditional use
what are the requirements to be granted a certificate of traditional use
- used for > 30 years 15 of which are in EU
- not prescribed of defined strength or dosage
- evidence of cGMP production
- analytical dossier
- SPC
- bibliography
what does the modified process for ‘Certificate of Traditional Use’ try to establish
that safety and efficacy of the product has been established based upon the long term use and documented safety profile
well established use has this compared with traditional use
- well established use has demonstrated safety and efficacy data while
- traditional use is theoretical based upon sufficient safety data and plausible efficacy
when can standard marketing authorization be applied for under traditional use of well established use
Well established use
Is safety data required as part of the application if a herb is on the community lising? why?
No beacuse safety and efficacy have been established
