Unfortunately, many people thought that the return to nature is more safe than the chemicals drugs, I thought efficacy and safety of herbal plants are lower than those of chemicals drugs. May be lower side effects, but as plants contains a lot of natural useful components, contain also many toxic or undesirable compounds. Therefore I would like to ask on the possible risks for patients’ health arising from unknown components in herbal supplements?
Eventhough we use polyherbal formulations with different traditional systems of medicine, experimentally as a researcher we cant say that plants on the whole are safer to human body unless and otherwise it is properly studied. Moreover, plant extracts as it is cant be used as you said it contains multi components and also we are not sure how it will act on the physiological system of a human body. Undeclared plants are always with risk for human use.
It is always good to isolate individual compounds and to work on its pharmacological action instead working on crude extract.
Dear Dr. Ekambaram and Dr. Aldallal,
Thanks a lot for your answers! The problem is that the market is crowded with many products which pushed to patients and physicians as a 100 % safe. This is illegal as we know that medicinal plants or herbal supplements can be described as double-edged sword; can treat some problem and cause a lot. They destroy the patient's liver and kidneys. I think the risks should be clear and published. Also, the control of these products should be done by the WHO not food organizations only.
Dear Mohamed
The term neutraceutical is quit confusing word, which is to be used for many medicinal plants formulation more oftenly and restrict them for vigrous quality evaluation as herbal medicine. Although many time frequently used plants may cause several problems due to certain geographical conditions, which is always ignored for neutraceuticals.
I too agree with you. But most of the nutraceuticals come in the market once they get the approvals from appropriate authorities and proper testing done. A proper channel is always followed whether it is a herbal or a synthetic formulation. GRAS status is sufficient as far as product credibility is concerned.
Dear Dr. Nahata,
thanks a lot! No problem for the nutraceuticals, you may know the human minerals products that present minerals chelated to amino acids like natural components (calcium im milk, iron in meat, etc), there is no risk with these products. The problem came from herbal supplements, it pushed to market under the approval of food organizations. I see this area of research is lacking some evidences to give the chance for these herbal products to be available or to be limited. I know there are many semi-synthetic products but are you how many herbal supplements all over the world?
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