scholarly journals Herbal Supplements and Hepatotoxicity: A Short Review

2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 1934578X1501001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Haszianaliza Haslan ◽  
Farihah Haji Suhaimi ◽  
Srijit Das

Herbal products have gained popularity over the past few decades. The reasons attributed to the rise in popularity are cheaper costs, easy availability, patient compliance and fewer side effects. However, liver toxicity following consumption of herbal remedies is on the increase. Thus, there is an urgent need to understand the mechanism of action of the herbal supplements on the liver. Occasionally, herbal supplements may also interact with conventional drugs. The present review focusses on a few herbs such as Aloe barbadensis, Atractylis gummifera, Centella asiatica, Mitragyna speciosa, Morinda citrifolia, Larea tridentata, Symphytum officinale, Teucrium chamaedrys and Xanthium strumarium, which are reported to cause hepatotoxicity in humans and animals. Prior knowledge on hepatotoxicity caused by herbs may be beneficial for clinicians and medical practitioners.

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reem J Abdualmjid ◽  
Consolato Sergi

Purpose. Herbal medicines have been increasingly used worldwide. However, the potential harms of these herbs have been noticed most recently following hepatotoxicity with ingestion of herbal remedies. The aim of this review is to evaluate the evidence of hepatotoxic effects linked to use of herbal preparations. Method. Electronic search was performed by searching several databases: PubMed, HerbMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Cochrane Library using both Latin and common names of several herbs. Language was restricted to English and articles were selected for relevance reporting incidence of hepatotoxicity associated with use of herbal products in human. Results. From a total of 565 relevant reviews and articles, 254 met our inclusion criteria and were analyzed. Serious hepatotoxic events associated with various herbal products alone or in combination with other drugs have been reported. Linking to herbal constituents the spectrum of liver toxicity includes elevated liver enzymes, acute or chronic hepatitis, cholestasis, hepatic necrosis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis, as well as acute liver failure and hepatic veno-occlusive disease. Conclusion. The hepatotoxicity of herbs was extensively acknowledged. As the use of natural medicine increases, the risk of liver toxicity and drug interaction increase as well. Accordingly, herbal remedies have been known as hepatotoxins causing several liver damages. Further scientific studies with high and good quality are needed to identify toxic compounds and understand the exact mechanism of hepatotoxicity-induced by herbs. The adverse effects of herbal products must be fully reported as well as extensive education of healthcare providers must be provided in order to reduce danger of alternative medicines. This article is open to POST-PUBLICATION REVIEW. Registered readers (see “For Readers”) may comment by clicking on ABSTRACT on the issue’s contents page.


Author(s):  
Cathryn M Corns

The use of herbal products in the UK is increasing, and over-the-counter herbal supplements are perceived by the public as 'safe' and 'harmless'. Although the majority of them are safe, some herbal medicines carry risks. Heavy metal contamination, adulteration with Western pharmaceuticals and inclusion of prohibited animal and plant ingredients are regularly reported in ethnic medicines. Other herbs are hepato- or nephrotoxic and some interact with prescription medicines. Doctors should be made aware of the need to take a herbal as well as a drug history, and the clinical laboratory has a role in helping understanding of how herbal products may affect laboratory tests and in suggesting relevant lines of investigation in patients whose symptoms may be linked to the use of herbal products.


Author(s):  
Patricia Rojas ◽  
Elizabeth Ruiz-Sánchez ◽  
Camilo Ríos ◽  
Ángel Ruiz-Chow ◽  
Aldo A. Reséndiz-Albor

The use of the medicinal plant Ginkgo biloba has increased worldwide. However, G. biloba is capable of assimilating both essential and toxic metals, and the ingestion of contaminated products can cause damage to health. The aim of this study was to investigate the safety of manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and cadmium (Cd) in 26 items containing Ginkgo biloba (pharmaceutical herbal products, dietary supplements, and traditional herbal remedies) purchased in the metropolitan area of Mexico City. Metal analysis was performed using a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometer. All of the products were contaminated with Pb, 54% of them with As, and 81% with Cd. The lowest values of Pb, As, and Cd were detected in pharmaceutical herbal products > dietary supplements > traditional herbal remedies. The daily intake dose (DID) of pharmaceutical herbal products was within the established limits for the five metals. Dietary supplements and traditional herbal remedies exceeded the DID limits for Pb. The hazard quotients estimation and non-carcinogenic cumulative hazard estimation index for Mn, As, and Cd indicated no human health risk. Our results suggest that products containing G. biloba for sale in Mexico are not a health risk.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 112 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 240-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan D. Woolf

More parents are considering the use of herbal remedies to maintain their children’s good health and to treat their illnesses. They look to pediatricians and other primary care clinicians for advice concerning the safety and efficacy of herbal products for children. This article reviews principles for the clinician to keep in mind while investigating the literature on herbal medicine and addressing the use of herbal medicines with parents.


Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. 2023
Author(s):  
Suwimol Thariwong ◽  
Aekkhaluck Intharuksa ◽  
Panee Sirisa-ard ◽  
Wannaree Charoensup ◽  
Sunee Chansakaow

The Pikad Tri-phol-sa-mut-than (TS) remedy, a Thai traditional medicine, is officially recorded in Tamra Paetsart Sonkrau Chabub Anurak for its capabilities in treating kidney deficiency. TS remedy is composed of three fruit species—Aegle marmelos (L.) Corrêa., Coriandrum sativum L., and Morinda citrifolia L.—in an equal part by weight. The quality of the raw material is one of the essential factors that can affect the effectiveness and safety of treatment by herbal remedy. The pharmacognostic evaluation and DNA barcode of the three fruit species and TS remedy were performed in this study to authenticate them from contamination, and to provide the scientific database for further uses. Macroscopic and microscopic examination, chemical profile by TLC, and DNA barcoding were employed to positively identify the raw materials bought from the herbal market, especially the powder form. Consequently, the outcomes of this investigation can be used to develop an essential and effective tool for the authentication of crude drugs and herbal remedies.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 264-269
Author(s):  
Masoud Sharifian ◽  
Afshin Hasanvand ◽  
Gholam Basati ◽  
Saber Abbaszadeh

Surgical Science is one of the branches of medical science that deals with surgical and medicinal interventions, which can cure surgical wounds, cuts, burns and so on. The accelerated recovery process has always been a concern for surgeons and physicians. Standard local antibiotic drugs such as silver nitrate, mafenide acetate, sulfadiazine silver and AgNO3 are also used to treat wounds which are associated with some complications. Considering the fact that no effective herbal remedy has been introduced for wound healing, the purpose of this review is to investigate and identify indigenous Iranian herbs used for wound healing after surgery, especially burn wounds. In this systematic review paper, published articles in the period 1952 to 2017 with keywords of surgery, wound healing, burns, herbs, etc. from databases such as SID, MEDLIB, ProQuest, Magiran, Europe PubMed Central and Google Scholar. Abstract and title of all articles were studied and non-relevant articles were deleted and remaining articles were used for review. Based on the results of the study, Malva sylvestris, Camellia sinensis, Aloe vera, Cydonia oblonga, Scrophularia striata, Centella asiatica, Arnebia euchroma, Calendula officinalis and Hypericum perforatum are the most important herbal remedies for burn restoration. The following is an explanation of the most important herbal remedies for native burn wounds in Iran.


1995 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 214-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Varro E Tyler

Objective: To provide an overview of basic information required by pharmacists to advise patients on the proper use of selected herbs and phytomedicines (“dietary supplements”) as therapeutic agents. Data Sources: The vast literature on this topic in the English, German, and French languages has been researched by the author over a period of many years. Databases that were used include NAPRALERT and MEDLINE. Study Selection: Articles and books dealing with the current popularity of botanical medicine and with laws and regulations covering so-called dietary supplements, as well as information on selected toxic herbs and a few of the most popular beneficial herbs used for treating common ailments and syndromes. Data Synthesis: Studies suggest that many herbal products currently available are both safe and effective drugs. A few products on the US market are definitely unsafe for human consumption and use. Conclusions: The increasing popularity of botanicals, coupled with regulations that prohibit definitive labeling, requires pharmacists to acquire accurate information based on scientifically and clinically acceptable data to advise patients on their use. Useful remedies for several common ailments and information concerning their safety and usefulness provide a starting point for an understanding of this complex field.


Medicina ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (8) ◽  
pp. 389
Author(s):  
Sae Kyung Min ◽  
Jaekwen Oh ◽  
Jun-Beom Park

Background and objectives: Morinda citrifolia (Noni) has been widely used in herbal remedies to treat and prevent various kinds of diseases. We conducted this study to evaluate the effects of Noni extract on the maintenance of morphology, the improvement of cellular viability, and the enhancement of osteogenesis of stem cell spheroids. Materials and Methods: We cultured stem cell spheroids made with gingiva-derived stem cells in the presence of Noni extract at concentrations of 10, 100 and 200 ng/mL. We performed analysis of the cell morphology and changes in the cellular viability. We conducted alkaline phosphatase activity assays using a kit, and mineralization assays using an anthraquinone dye to evaluate the osteogenesis of stem cell spheroids with the addition of Noni extract. Results: The applied cells formed spheroids well, and the addition of Noni at 10, 100 and 200 ng/mL concentrations did not produce significant morphological changes. The quantitative values for cellular viability on Day 3 showed that the absorbance values at 450 nm were 0.314 ± 0.013, 0.318 ± 0.008, 0.304 ± 0.000 and 0.300 ± 0.011 for Noni at 0, 10, 100 and 200 ng/mL concentrations, respectively. The results of alkaline phosphatase activity with absorbance values at 405 nm were 0.189 ± 0.019, 0.174 ± 0.023, 0.192 ± 0.014 and 0.210 ± 0.062 for Noni at 0, 10, 100 and 200 ng/mL concentrations, respectively, on Day 4. There were significantly higher values of Alizarin Red S staining for Noni in the 10, 100 and 200 ng/mL groups, with the highest value at 100 ng/mL when compared with the unloaded control on Day 14. Conclusions: Based on these findings, we concluded that Noni extract might be applied for the enhanced osteogenic differentiation of stem cell spheroids.


Plants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 945
Author(s):  
Youn-Hwan Hwang ◽  
Ami Lee ◽  
Taesoo Kim ◽  
Seon-A Jang ◽  
Hyunil Ha

In traditional oriental medicines, Commiphora myrrha and its resinous exudate (i.e., myrrh) are used as herbal remedies to treat various inflammatory and metabolic disorders. Until now, C. myrrha-derived herbal products are considered useful source for bioactive compounds to manage numerous human diseases. This study investigated the effects of water extract of C. myrrha resin (WCM) and its polysaccharide (WCM-PE) on modulatory effects of osteoclast differentiation and/or ovariectomized-induced bone loss. Oral administration of WCM (200 and 500 mg/kg/day for four weeks) notably decreased trabecular bone loss and lipid accumulation in the bone marrow cavity. WCM and WCM-PE dose-dependently inhibited receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastogenesis and suppressed RANKL-mediated overexpression of c-Fos and nuclear factor of activated T cells, cytoplasmic 1, thereby downregulating osteoclast-specific gene (Atp6v0d2, DC-STAMP and cathepsin K) expression. Thus, our results suggest that WCM and WCM-PE are promising nutraceutical candidates for the management of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amita Rai ◽  
Cicy Eapen ◽  
V. G. Prasanth

Herbs and herbal products are considered to be safer and people mix it often with the oral hypoglycemic agent in diabetes therapy. But numerous reports say that every combination of herbs and drugs is not safe. Some combinations may be beneficial and some may be harmful also. So before taking any herbal remedies with oral hypoglycemic agent, patient should consult physician. In this paper we are summarizing the reports available on the interaction of herbal remedies to one of the oral hypoglycemic agents (glibenclamide) and categorizing the effect of the combination is beneficial and harmful.


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