Common Knowledge:04.Is there any scientific evidence that herbal medicine works?
This is a discussion of some of the key issues that consumers and health care professionals should consider in assessing the relative quality of a botanical supplement.
There are hundreds of botanical dietary supplements on the market, and many if not most have been subjected to at least some scientific study. The quality of the research, and the number of carefully conducted studies that have been published varies greatly, however. Not surprisingly, the most popular and well-known botanical supplements tend to be backed by better research than supplements used by relatively few people. However, in contrast to statements often made by "mainstream medicine," there are a surprising number of careful, well-designed studies on the safety, clinical efficacy, active chemical constituents, and basic pharmacology of a large number of herbal supplements.
Such studies are not all conducted in this country, and are rarely published in mainstream medical journals. These factors may explain why such research is frequently overlooked by mainstream physicians; precisely, because they have not bothered to search for it. In this age of the Internet and information explosion, there is no longer any excuse for physicians to claim that no such studies exist. Physicians and other health care professionals who have taken the time to familiarize themselves with the science surrounding botanical supplements are still comparatively rare (although their numbers are rapidly growing), and consumers should be aware of this in seeking professional answers to their questions regarding botanical supplements.
However, just because an opinion originates from a professional health care provider does not necessarily mean that it is an informed opinion.
Unfortunately, there is no currently recognized official clearinghouse specifically for health care professionals educated in botanical supplements and other alternative and complimentary therapies. At the same time, however, an ever-burgeoning number of CME courses and other educational resources on "integrative" medicine for health care professionals is expanding knowledge of the field throughout mainstream medicine. Consumers are certainly within their rights to ask their pharmacist, physician, or other health care professional to cite the basis of any advice they may dispense on botanical supplements. However, if it is based solely on individual beliefs or prejudice, untempered by professional educational programs or familiarity with the scientific literature, consumers would be well-advised to seek a second or even a third opinion. Today, there is an abundance of resources to enable consumers and professionals alike to become familiar with the scientific literature on botanical supplements. One of the best resources is the serial monograph set offered on a subscription basis by MDED at www.mdidea.com,entitled, Desktop Reference of Natural Logogriph.and we arrange published online for scholars and herb lovers download and exchange ideas with us recently.
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