Is it Safe?
The safety of herbal remedies has been the subject of much
debate. Herbal medicines must be produced to good manufacturing practice and must
be free from adulteration. Medications manufactured in the Westernised industrial
nations or grown by herbalists themselves are almost certainly completely safe.
Problems may occur with some patented medicines imported from Asia and the Far
East, or sometimes with the pure herbal products which may not be always as pure
as one might expect. There are case reports of fatal events occurring in consequence
of herbal products taken inappropriately; an outbreak of kidney disease occurred
after taking "Chinese herbs" prescribed by a slimming clinic in Belgium
some 10 years ago. Herbs may also interact with conventional medication.
Reproduced
with the kind permission of BMA Publications from Professor George Lewith's book,
Understanding Complementary Medicine.