scholarly journals Herbal Medicines—Are They Effective and Safe during Pregnancy?

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 171
Author(s):  
Beata Sarecka-Hujar ◽  
Beata Szulc-Musioł
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Herbal Medicines ◽  
Echinacea Purpurea ◽  
Herbal Remedies ◽  
Efficacy And Safety ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Herbal Products ◽  
Morning Sickness ◽  
Active Substances ◽  
In Pregnancy

Since the teratogenicity of Thalidomide has been proven, herbal products are more commonly used in pregnancy to not only relieve morning sickness but also to fight infections. These products are frequently considered as natural and therefore harmless. However, herbs contain a number of active substances that, when used during pregnancy, can affect the development of the fetus. Often, pregnant women do not consult the usage of herbal medicines with a physician. The access to these products is easy and treatment of certain ailments with the use of herbs is common in many countries. The aim of the present literature review was to discuss available data regarding the efficacy and safety of cranberry, chamomile, Echinacea purpurea, garlic, ginger, Ginkgo biloba, and peppermint, which are used to counteract the most common ailments during pregnancy, i.e., infections and pregnancy-related ailments (e.g., nausea and vomiting, dizziness, and headache). Analysis of available data showed that ginger is one of the most extensively analyzed herbal remedies. The dose of ginger below 1000 mg per day may help to relief hypereremesis gravidarum, and such an amount of ginger did not increase frequency of adverse effects for either woman or developing fetus. Data regarding other herbs are most often heterogeneous and give conflicting results with no clear conclusions. However, all herbal products should be used with a special caution in pregnancy. Further high-quality human studies should be determined to confirm the safe doses of herbal products which could be used by pregnant or breast-feeding women.

Herbal Products for Common Auto-Inflammatory Disorders - Novel Approaches

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 161-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shanoo Suroowan ◽  
Fawzi Mahomoodally
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Chronic Conditions ◽  
Herbal Medicines ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Herbal Products ◽  
Inflammatory Disorders ◽  
Treatment Regimens ◽  
Synthetic Agents ◽  
Unique Approach ◽  
Novel Approaches

Background: Common auto-inflammatory disorders (CAIDs) constitute a wide array of ailments ranging from acute allergies to chronic conditions. Globally, CAIDs remain one of the leading causes of disability and morbidity. Despite playing a leading therapeutic role, the vast profusion of anti-inflammatory synthetic agents have not been able to fully resolve a panoply of CAIDs. Additionally, contemporary synthetic therapy approaches remain bounded by a wide array of limitations essentially being adverse effects and unaffordable costs. In this advent, the use of herbal products provides an interesting avenue to explore in view of developing such treatment regimens. Objective: This review article endeavors to highlight potential herbal products and isolated phytochemicals which can be of benefit in the prophylaxis, management, and treatment alongside avoiding the relapse of CAIDs. Conclusion: This review article has highlighted that herbals, herbal products, and isolated metabolites hold a huge potential in the prophylaxis, management, and treatment of CAIDs. Herbals can act on various targets involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory disorders. In addition, novel approaches for the management of CAIDs are numerous. Indeed, nanoparticles loaded with phytochemicals have been developed to specifically target the colon for IBD treatment. In silico approaches using herbals also offer unlimited avenues to decipher new pharmacophores. Investigating the potential of polyherbal formulations is another unique approach which can be investigated. Given the inefficacy of conventional medicines, the concomitant use of conventional and herbal medicines can also be explored.

Herbal Remedies and Children: Do They Work? Are They Harmful?

PEDIATRICS ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 112 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 240-246 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan D. Woolf
Keyword(s):  
Primary Care ◽  
Herbal Medicine ◽  
Herbal Medicines ◽  
Good Health ◽  
Herbal Remedies ◽  
Herbal Products ◽  
Safety And Efficacy ◽  
Primary Care Clinicians

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.

scholarly journals Charms & Harms: Devil's Claw

2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne Barnes
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Herbal Medicines ◽  
Term Treatment ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Efficacy And Safety ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Short Term Treatment ◽  
Acute Exacerbations ◽  
Long Term Adverse Effects

SUMMARY MESSAGE: There is evidence that Devil’s Claw can be an effective short-term treatment for acute exacerbations of low back pain and, to a lesser extent, in rheumatic and osteoarthritic conditions. Acute adverse effects reported in clinical trials were mild diarrhoea and flatulence. Long-term adverse effects have not been studied. As with all herbal medicines, Devil’s Claw products differ in their pharmaceutical quality, and the implications of this for efficacy and safety should be considered.

scholarly journals Acute Liver Failure Caused by ‘Fat Burners’ and Dietary Supplements: A Case Report and Literature Review

2011 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 157-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y Radha Krishna ◽  
V Mittal ◽  
P Grewal ◽  
MI Fiel ◽  
T Schiano
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Dietary Supplements ◽  
Green Tea ◽  
Histopathological Examination ◽  
Present Report ◽  
Healthy Woman ◽  
Usnic Acid ◽  
Herbal Remedies ◽  
Herbal Extracts ◽  
Herbal Products

Globally, people are struggling with obesity. Many effective, non-conventional methods of weight reduction, such as herbal and natural dietary supplements, are increasingly being sought. Fat burners are believed to raise metabolism, burn more calories and hasten fat loss. Despite patient perceptions that herbal remedies are free of adverse effects, some supplements are associated with severe hepatotoxicity. The present report describes a young healthy woman who presented with fulminant hepatic failure requiring emergent liver transplantation caused by a dietary supplement and fat burner containing usnic acid, green tea and guggul tree extracts. Thorough investigation, including histopathological examination, revealed no other cause of hepatotoxicity. The present case adds to the increasing number of reports of hepatotoxicity associated with dietary supplements containing usnic acid, and highlights that herbal extracts from green tea or guggul tree may not be free of adverse effects. Until these products are more closely regulated and their advertising better scrutinized, physicians and patients should become more familiar with herbal products that are commonly used as weight loss supplements and recognize those that are potentially harmful.

scholarly journals A Comprehensive Review and Perspective of Herbal Medicines in the Treatment of COVID-19

2021 ◽  
pp. 70-95
Author(s):  
Afrasim Moin ◽  
S. Meenakshi ◽  
Syed Mohd Danish Rizvi ◽  
Nanhi Nandini ◽  
Talib Hussain ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Targets ◽  
Herbal Medicines ◽  
Herbal Drugs ◽  
Efficacy And Safety ◽  
Direct Inhibition ◽  
Wuhan City ◽  
Herbal Products ◽  
Alternative Medicines ◽  
Global Concern ◽  
Approved Drugs

Background: An emergent COVID-19 outbreak originated in Wuhan City, in December 2019. The COVID-19 contamination has swiftly unfold from Wuhan to maximum different provinces and different 24 countries. WHO declared a public health emergency of global concern over this worldwide COVID-19 outbreak on 30th January 2020. Manifold research has been intensely initiated for immunization and drug development for COVID-19 till date no specific vaccine or approved drugs are accessible for COVID-19. Alternatively, therapy consists of supportive care and non-specific anti-viral, anti-malarial, and antibiotics are being testedas drugs for COVID-19. Though, novel approaches could play a crucial role to combat mortality rate and patient recovery in the treatment of COVID-19. Objective: To reveal the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and comparison of promising synthetic and natural drug targets to avert and cure of COVID-19. Method: This article sets a brief understanding of the viral characteristics, its life cycle, infection to humans, and the pathophysiology of the disease. It also throws light on the currently used synthetic medicines. we have reviewed the effect of natural products to prevent or treat COVID-19 infection. Their mechanisms of action have been elaborately discussed. literature research was undertaken using PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and WHO website. The different herbal products (extracts) and their moieties which are promising as anti-SARS-CoV-2 by direct inhibition of the virus replication or entry has also been discussed. Results and Conclusion: In conclusion we have highlighted that natural therapeutics either alone or in combinationcould be used as alternative medicines to treat/prevent COVID-19 infection. Moreover, their structures may offer clues for the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 drugs.The integration of nanocarriers for effectively delivering the conventional as well as the herbal drugs becomes a key point for their efficacy and safety.

scholarly journals Case Report: Omalizumab for Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria in Pregnancy

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuang-Lu Liao ◽  
Miao Yu ◽  
Zuo-Tao Zhao ◽  
Marcus Maurer
Keyword(s):  
Case Report ◽  
Disease Activity ◽  
Treatment Option ◽  
Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria ◽  
Efficacy And Safety ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Complete Control ◽  
Safe Treatment Option ◽  
In Pregnancy

Most chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) patients are female, and pregnancy can aggravate the disease activity of patients, but little is known about the efficacy and safety of omalizumab in pregnant CSU patients. We report two pregnant CSU patients treated with omalizumab and review the published information on omalizumab treatment during 11 pregnancies. The outcomes reported on patients with known pregnancies showed they had normal pregnancies and healthy babies as well as complete control of their CSU. The two new cases we reported support the view that omalizumab could be an effective and safe treatment option for pregnant and breastfeeding CSU patients. Further high-quality studies need to be carried out in order to obtain more information on the long-term efficacy and safety of the use of omalizumab during pregnancy in patients with chronic urticaria, including CSU.

scholarly journals Community Pharmacists’ Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practice of Herbal Medicines in Asir Region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulrhman Alsayari ◽  
Dalia Almghaslah ◽  
Arwa Khaled ◽  
Sivakumar Annadurai ◽  
Mona Ali Alkhairy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Positive Attitude ◽  
Herbal Medicines ◽  
Community Pharmacists ◽  
Herbal Remedies ◽  
Average Score ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Herbal Products ◽  
Attitudes And Practices ◽  
Asir Region

Background. A dramatic increase in the use of natural products and herbal medicines has been observed globally. Simultaneously, there has been an increase in safety concerns regarding the extensive use of these herbal remedies among health care practitioners. The urban and rural populations of Saudi Arabia still rely on traditional Arabic herbal medicines for the treatment of various diseases. Objectives. This study aimed to evaluate community pharmacists’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices of herbal medicines in the Asir region, Saudi Arabia. Methods. An online cross-sectional study was conducted among 233 community pharmacists using a structured questionnaire. Results. Pharmacists showed considerable knowledge of the indications of herbal products, with an average score of 84% correct answers, total P value < 0.05 and < 0.001. They were also knowledgeable about contraindications, side effects, and interactions, with an average score of 75% correct answers, total P value < 0.05 and < 0.001. Community pharmacists had a positive attitude towards herbal products, as 71% of them “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that herbal products were efficacious and 77% of them “agreed” or “strongly agreed” that those products should be sold only in a pharmacy. Herbal products were “often” or "always” dispensed by 67.3% of pharmacists in a pharmacy. Conclusion. Pharmacists generally exhibited good knowledge, a positive attitude, and effective practice towards herbal products. However, continuing education programs are needed to train pharmacists in providing client counseling on herbal medicine usage and dispensing them.

scholarly journals Hepatotoxic Botanicals - An Evidence-based Systematic Review

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reem J Abdualmjid ◽  
Consolato Sergi
Keyword(s):  
Liver Toxicity ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Herbal Medicines ◽  
Hepatic Necrosis ◽  
Herbal Remedies ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Herbal Products ◽  
Alternative Medicines ◽  
Natural Medicine ◽  
Elevated Liver Enzymes

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.

scholarly journals The Culture of Herbal Preparations Among Pregnant Women: A Remedy or a Suicide Potion? A Case Report and Mini Review

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
P. P. S. Ossei ◽  
A. Appiah-Kubi ◽  
F. Ankobea-Kokroe ◽  
G. Owusu-Asubonteng ◽  
W. G. Ayibor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Pregnant Women ◽  
Herbal Medicines ◽  
The Body ◽  
World Health ◽  
Herbal Remedies ◽  
World Population ◽  
Herbal Preparations ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The World

In general, use of herbal remedies and preparations is on the ascendency in recent times among the general population and especially in young pregnant women, and this may be very dangerous due to adverse effects and interactions with drugs. A survey by the World Health Organization revealed that 70–80% of the world population resort to nonconventional medicines especially, herbal medicines in their primary healthcare. A lot of work has been done on the positive effects of herbs on the human body but very few publications on the potential side effects of consuming crude herbal preparations especially among pregnant women or the awareness of the medical team of this problem. Herbal remedies may come with many adverse effects and potentially serious interactions with some conventional medications. However, little is known about the dangers associated with consumption of herbal remedies by pregnant patients. Herbal medicines like their orthodox counterparts act through some mechanisms to bring about their curative effects in the body, and this usually goes out of order when these remedies interact with chemical drugs as a result of a combination of both by the victims. This is a case study to review the use of herbal medicine products among pregnant women, especially adolescent girls for abortive purposes, and also attempts to discuss some of the dangers associated with the use of herbal medicinal products together with conventional drugs during pregnancy.

scholarly journals Herbal Therapy in Pregnancy-What to Expect when you Expect?

2017 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1934578X1701201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Artur L. Belica ◽  
Nenad B. Ćetković ◽  
Nataša B. Milić ◽  
Nataša P. Milošević
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Healthcare Professional ◽  
Pregnancy Outcome ◽  
Fetal Development ◽  
Efficacy And Safety ◽  
Herbal Therapy ◽  
Herbal Products ◽  
Professional Advice ◽  
Conventional Medication ◽  
In Pregnancy

The use of herbal therapy in pregnancy is common for pregnancy related nausea, vomiting, gestational diabetes, anxiety, insomnia, and preparation for labor, as well as for treating infections. Many conventional drugs may interfere with fetal development and herbal products are considered to be safe. However, herbal therapy requires competent healthcare professional advice before prescribing. Knowledge about the possible adverse effects of active compounds of the herbs on pregnancy outcome is limited. Interference of herbal ingredients with conventional medication or the ailment should also not be excluded. For many herbal products, the pharmacological effect is not clinically proven, and the safe usage in pregnancy is not guaranteed. Here, based on published clinical trials, an overview is given of the efficacy and safety for fetal development and pregnancy outcome of the most frequently used herbs: ginger, cranberry, echinacea, mint, chamomile, valerian, flaxseed, tea and raspberry leaf.

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