2/28/09
1/30/09
Medicinal Plants, yes or not
Medicinal plants are been involved in hot arguments due to the fact that many people are returning back to traditional medicine in order to either cure or alleviate health and fitness problems.
“Natural doesn’t mean secure” is said often and this is true (lets think on curare and many other plant toxins). We, the medicinal plants supporters do not use this concept.
“Serious problems referring quality, security and efficacy of herbal products are been identified”. This is a health authorities regulation concern, it is not a problem of the plants.
“With medicinal herbs, what is in the label may not be in the product and the statements of their fantastic curative properties are very seldom proved”. What is written on labels is or should be regulated and scientific evidences about their properties are not rare, they have to be searched and read.
The subject becomes more complex when we talk about products elaborated with active principles extracted from medicinal plants or even with crude extracts. Here, as I say below, the responsibility belongs to health authorities.
One of major criticisms is that health authority controls are weaker than those for synthetic products. This shouldn’t be so, all medicines of equal category have to be controlled with the same rules. Surely there are bigger possibilities of illegal procedures with plant products but this is not a plants’ patrimony but a human being’s behavior.
Certainly medicinal plants usage with health authority controls and medical guidance is the best situation. A lot of health professionals prefer to shelter in the probable security of synthetic medicines.
Medicinal plants show up complex problems concerning their properties, when effects standardization is attempted, considering the important amount of active principles and their seasonal and individual variations.
Medicinal plants and synthetic medicines interaction is another criticism and a real problem, it is already known for many plants and should be studied for all plants to be used along with any other treatment. It could be say in the other way round as well. Profesionals should be aware of that.
“There are frequent cases of intoxicated people with herbal medicines”. There are frequent cases with synthetic products as well and quite serious too. Some of them involving thousands of persons and been discovered after many years of use. All products are prone to cause health problems by misuse.
In short, health regulations should be the same for all medicines and as far as for dried herbs sold as it, manufacture practices and label contents should be controlled. Medicinal plants have an enormous potential as one of the tools to help in health and fitness many problems that human beings have.
“Natural doesn’t mean secure” is said often and this is true (lets think on curare and many other plant toxins). We, the medicinal plants supporters do not use this concept.
“Serious problems referring quality, security and efficacy of herbal products are been identified”. This is a health authorities regulation concern, it is not a problem of the plants.
“With medicinal herbs, what is in the label may not be in the product and the statements of their fantastic curative properties are very seldom proved”. What is written on labels is or should be regulated and scientific evidences about their properties are not rare, they have to be searched and read.
The subject becomes more complex when we talk about products elaborated with active principles extracted from medicinal plants or even with crude extracts. Here, as I say below, the responsibility belongs to health authorities.
One of major criticisms is that health authority controls are weaker than those for synthetic products. This shouldn’t be so, all medicines of equal category have to be controlled with the same rules. Surely there are bigger possibilities of illegal procedures with plant products but this is not a plants’ patrimony but a human being’s behavior.
Certainly medicinal plants usage with health authority controls and medical guidance is the best situation. A lot of health professionals prefer to shelter in the probable security of synthetic medicines.
Medicinal plants show up complex problems concerning their properties, when effects standardization is attempted, considering the important amount of active principles and their seasonal and individual variations.
Medicinal plants and synthetic medicines interaction is another criticism and a real problem, it is already known for many plants and should be studied for all plants to be used along with any other treatment. It could be say in the other way round as well. Profesionals should be aware of that.
“There are frequent cases of intoxicated people with herbal medicines”. There are frequent cases with synthetic products as well and quite serious too. Some of them involving thousands of persons and been discovered after many years of use. All products are prone to cause health problems by misuse.
In short, health regulations should be the same for all medicines and as far as for dried herbs sold as it, manufacture practices and label contents should be controlled. Medicinal plants have an enormous potential as one of the tools to help in health and fitness many problems that human beings have.
1/24/09
Guinea pig
As a self formed plant user profesional and library and folk researcher, I have built a very important database on medicinal plants and their application on human health.
With the mentioned information I began to produce extracts and products and also to find volunteers to test on them. Lets say that the first and most enthusiastic "Guinea pig" was and still is the writer that still is alive and fighting.
12/19/08
Main subjects
New advances on cholesterol, hair loss, heartburn, kombucha, prostata, psoriasis, varicose veins and the medicinal plants extracts possibilities. Articles, reports, eBooks, recipes.
12/9/08
Are medicinal plants useful
There are miriads of opinions on medicinal plants. The fact is that taking into account some real problems when intending to use them correctly, either for cure alleviate or support a medical treatment, there are a lot of achievements that cannot be denied.
I have been using medicinal plants extracts myself, for many years by now.
One of the cases, my benign prostatic hyperplasia. Despite of a malignant tumour development genetic predisposition and of the usual controls made, I am controlling my prostate immflamation since 25 years ago with (guess ?) medicinal plants !
First was Prunus spinosa, after Epilobium parviflorum, more recently Malva sylvestris and lately a few extracts combination. The exam results, always the same "Grade 1 adenoma" and PSA within normal range.
A final comment, would you want to know how much is this treatment costing me ? 4 (yes, four) american dollars a month !
For this and more natural products visit Doctor Green 2008's recipes
12/8/08
Psoriasis rashes
After a lot of stressed years, due to economic problems and triggered by an additional emotional situation a typical pruritus, with small plaques formation, started to show up at my elbows. The smarting was very annoying sometimes.
Scratching produced a temporary relief. I tolerated that for about 10 days.
Thereafter I began my research. The medical analysis, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment would have taken a lot of weeks.
The literature review showed me some very awful cases. Mi problem, psoriasis though, was and still it is mild. At the next attack, preceded by another stress episode I started to test my own products made of plants extracts.
With local treatments I didn't get major achievements but, orally with individual and mixed extracts the situation was rewarding. Symptoms including pruritus disappeared in less than 24 hours. To create some catch for next posts, one of the plants that I have used is "sarsaparrilla" (Smilax officinalis), a vine that growth in our native bushes.
Other of the very useful plants was boldo (Peumus boldus) commonly used for liver complaints.
Other of the very useful plants was boldo (Peumus boldus) commonly used for liver complaints.
high cholesterol control
As a high blood cholesterol levels sufferer and with a couple of atheromas already formed in my artheries, I have made a quite complete research about this ailment.
In coming posts I will be writing my findings and comments on this very very complex pathological item.
I have to admit already that my dear plants are not very useful when the high levels are due to genetic information. Neither the diet, of course.
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