Are herbal medicines safe for health?

Article by Imtiaz Ibne Alam

Many people have a common misperception that herbal medicines are safe for health. However, is that so? In reality, after researching on these medicines, I just found that the real fact is something else. Accordingly, I want to discuss in this article concerning the real facts of herbal medicines.

What is herbal Medicine?

Herbal or botanical medicine is a kind medicinal practice that is based on the exercise of herbs and herb extracts. This medicinal practice is the oldest but most widely used in all cultures and societies. In addition, herbal medicine is also known as “traditional medicine”, “botanical medicine”, “phyto medicine” and “natural medicine”.

Why People Have Common Misperception About Herbal Medicines?

In fact, after reviewing several forums on this medical practice, I found that there are several interesting reasons for having misperception.

Firstly, many people believe that if a remedy came from herbs or herb extracts, it must be harmless and safe.Secondly, most of the manufacturer of these medicines advertises their products as natural with no adverse effects.Thirdly, most of these medicines are OTC (over the counter) in many countries, and there are no strict guidelines for the preparation and administration of these products.Finally, the safety and effectiveness these medicinal products are not ensured to common people.

Why Use of Herbal Medicine Could Be Harmful to You?

These medicinal products and practices can cause risky and serious adverse reactions if the product is not administered appropriately, or in combination with other medicines or the therapy or product lacks quality. In addition, according to several studies, many of these medicinal products can cause dangerous drug-drug interactions with modern allopathic medicines as well as with other herbal products. Further, these herb-drug interactions could alter the efficacy and bioavailability of the prescribed medications.

Moreover, you need to know that, with only a few exceptions, most of these herbal or phyto medicinal products have not experimented for safety, efficiency and effectiveness through clinical trials or studies. As a result, many researchers said that these medicines could cause serious health hazards that many consumers are not concerned. In addition, according to the scientific and medical community, these medicines may possibly threat the life or well-being of the consumer when administered instead of allopathic medicines.

Finally, before concluding I want to recommend that if you are interested in taking herbal medicines, you must consult with your healthcare provider first. For the reason that you need to make sure that the medicine or herb you are taking into consideration is safe for use, or will not cause side effects and safe to use in combination with other allopathic drugs.