Herbal Remedies and Pharmaceuticals

Herbal remedies share some similarities as well as many differences with pharmaceuticals. Most of us, including many doctors, have forgotten that pharmaceuticals are derived from their herbal forebears. For example, aspirin, one of our most commonly used drugs, was originally derived from willow bark. In the spectrum discussed briefly in the last article (food as a mild, easy and safe staple for human digestion), herbal remedies have a more pronounced effect than food but are still something that we consume as part of our diet. They can be consumed safely over the course of many years and can provide significant long-term benefit.

 

Pharmaceuticals on the other hand have a far more pronounced effect than most herbal remedies and can’t really be thought of as a food. The powerful effect of pharmaceuticals has gained them their reputation in a relatively short period of time. Penicillin and some of the other antibiotics were the first pharmaceuticals to be seen as magic bullets for curing various kinds of diseases. But the truth of the matter is that herbs and herbal remedies have alleviated far more misery and suffering among humanity over the course of our evolution than pharmaceuticals.

 

Pharmaceuticals by some counts, including the CDC's estimate, are responsible for at least 100,000 deaths per year. Recently an herb known as ephedra came under scrutiny and was subsequently banned. When used according to the long-standing tenets of Chinese medicine ephedra or "ma huang" has been safe and effective for thousands of years. When its form was altered, concentrated and used in an inappropriate manner, it became responsible for four deaths. This led to a lot of controversy that ultimately led to the FDA ban. Traditionally, ephedra is taken in small amounts on an as-needed basis by asthmatics and those with respiratory allergies to open and clear the lungs. One of the chemical components of ephedra is ephedrine. When ephedra was concentrated and the active ingredient (ephedrine) isolated, amplified dramatically, and then used totally inappropriately as a weight loss supplement it caused four people to die

 

Sad as that may be, these four deaths occurred when one of the most ancient herbal remedies was used in a very non-traditional manner. Ill-advised use led to fatalities not allergic reactions. These people simply took large quantities and did not respond well. A study performed by the University of California at San Francisco in 2003, showed that 64% of all complaints against herbal remedies that year were regarding ephedra-based products which accounted for less than 1% of all herbal sales that year. When this is contrasted with the number of fatalities and the incidents of permanent organ damage from what is considered the safe and appropriate use of pharmaceuticals, the difference is so dramatic that it is almost mind-boggling.

 

Herbal remedies and pharmaceuticals both have their rightful place in the field of medicine. In the day-to-day struggles of life, herbal remedies can be valuable allies and when required, so can pharmaceuticals. Penicillin, the first "pharmaceutical", did amazing things on the battlefield during WWII. Since then, Western medicine has become extremely competent at dealing with trauma and life-and-death crisis situations. But Western medicine is not geared towards the actual living of life, the promotion of life, and health and well-being. It provides virtually no cures for chronic diseases and ailments. Most of the discomfort, disease and imbalance that many people are facing nowadays is due directly to lifestyle choices, environmental choices, and are chronic long-term conditions for which pharmaceuticals are inappropriate. Often times Western medicine and prescribed treatments are analogous to calling an ambulance every time you catch a sniffle or like killing a fly with a sledge hammer. The amount of time, energy, and resources put into all these ambulances flying around town for people with the sniffles is an expensive experiment that will cost us far more in the long-term than it saves us in the short-term.