Medicinal Herbs: Myths and Facts are they all Safe?

There has been a virtual explosion of interest in all kinds of alternative therapies, in particular those, which have been around for thousands of years. Naturally, in an illness where there is no "cure" and in which pharmaceutical drugs typically produce side effects, people look for other remedies. The use of herbal heritage has become a part of general health care by the tribes since time immemorial. The use of modern medicines of synthetic origin is believed to impart dramatic results in a short span in the therapeutic field has a hidden drawback of serious afterward consequences on the health on prolonged treatment due to various pathological, pharmacological and chrono-pathological parameters of the mankind. In spite of overwhelming influence of modern medicine and tremendous advances made on the production of synthetic drugs, traditional medicaments designated now a days as herbal drugs in different places in literature, have retained their place in therapy. The World Health Assembly emphasized the need to ensure quality control of medicinal plants with appropriate moral techniques and suitable standards, as it is estimated that about 80% of the people living in developing countries mainly depend upon herbal drugs for their preliminary health care needs. The World Health Organization, to achieve their goal of “health for all” has recommended to all member countries to actively promote native medicines of their country as well as to initiate steps to conserve and/or to cultivate medicinal plants so that genuine raw materials become rapidly available to a large section of population. Read more...