Take Willow Bark for instance, Salix spp. (Many species of Willow tree) which is rich in salicylate is very similar to asprin (acetylsalicylic acid), primarily because the discovery of asprin was made from Willow Bark, by pulling out the salicylate constituent they were able to produce acetylsalicylic acid. Of course of the years asprin is made from more synthetic parts, which is a lot of the problem with pharmaceuticals. By only concentrating on the particular constituents and then multiplying the amount we now have quick pain relief, however it comes with a plethora of side effects, some even deadly. The other constituents that might have been able to counteract the ill effects were completely removed. While each herb has it's own side effects, for example Willow Bark does have fairly similar side effects to asprin, they are generally safer.
The most important idea to concentrate on when taking herbs is to not try to take them to cure a problem but to take them to prevent one. Yes, they can help cure ailments and illnesses but if you have the option to stop that illness before it starts you will find yourself not suffering to begin with. In severe situations herbs may not be able to help at all or even make it worse, so it's really important if you do have to take any form of medications to know or just be aware of the drug interaction particular herbs have or the the effects they can have on certain disorders and diseases, a good example of the latter is that ginger (Zingiber officinale) stimulates bile to aid in nausea and digestive upset, however, because it stimulates bile it is not good at all to take if you have any kind of gallbladder problems. It can make the pain worse. Ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) stimulates blood flow especially to the brain, however, because it stimulates blood flow it is not advisable to take with any kind of blood thinner. This would be a drug interaction and something you would want to look out for.
St. John's Wort is one of the worst for drug interactions. It's known to change, if not make ineffective, many pharmaceuticals that may be important, such as Welbutrin and various forms of birth control. It also has side effects of its own which can range from sensitivity to light to actually causing anxiety in higher dosages. So it's very important to look into the side effects and drug interactions of each herb.
Some herbs however have very few to no known drug interactions or side effects such as Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) which is commonly used for liver detox and aiding in digestion. There is, however, the chance the user happens to be allergic, in which case Dandelion could cause contact dermatitis, so allergic reactions are also important to look out for.
While pregnant or breastfeeding it is important that you ask your doctor or a certified herbalist what's safe to take, many herbs are not recommended for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, just as many drugs are also not recommended. Even though herbs are all natural they still can have adverse side effects that you should watch out for.
Herbs and supplements can be a fantastic way to supplement a poor diet, or keep yourself healthy, even if you are currently on pharmaceutical drugs you may be able to find an herb you can take that may aid you or keep your other body systems healthy, it's all about sources and credibility.
Some good online sources for finding out about herb and drug interactions as well as herbal side effects:
- http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/herb_All.html
- http://www.herbs-info.com/list-of-herbs.html
- https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com/ (Requires subscription)
~Lindsey Shemwell (The Budding Botanist)
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