Also called: Also called: Botanicals, Phytotherapy
An herb is a plant or plant part used for its scent, flavor or therapeutic properties. Herbal medicine products are dietary supplements that people take to improve their health. Many herbs have been used for a long time for claimed health benefits. They are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts and fresh or dried plants. However, some can cause health problems, some are not effective and some may interact with other drugs you are taking.
To use an herbal product as safely as possible
- Consult your doctor first
- Do not take a bigger dose than the label recommends
- Take it under the guidance of a trained medical professional
- Be especially cautious if you are pregnant or nursing
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
- Botanical Dietary Supplements: Background Information(National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements) - http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/BotanicalBackground.asp
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Herbal Supplements: Consider Safety, Too(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/supplement-safety/
Also available in Spanish http://nccam.nih.gov/espanol/hierbas/
- About Herbs, Botanicals & Other Products(Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center) - http://www.mskcc.org/mskcc/html/11570.cfm
- Dietary Supplements Labels Database(National Library of Medicine) - http://dietarysupplements.nlm.nih.gov/
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Herbal Products and Supplements: What You Should Know(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/otc-center/otc-medicines/860.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/otc-center/otc-medicines/860.printerview.html
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MedlinePlus: Herbs and Supplements(Natural Standard) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/herb_All.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/druginfo/herb_All.html
- Aloe Vera(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/aloevera/
- Asian Ginseng(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/asianginseng/
- Astragalus(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/astragalus/index.htm
- Bilberry(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/bilberry/
- Bitter Orange(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/bitterorange/
- Black Cohosh(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/blackcohosh/
- Cat's Claw(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/catclaw/
- Chamomile(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/chamomile/
- Chasteberry(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/chasteberry/
- Cranberry(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/cranberry/
- Dandelion(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/dandelion/
- Echinacea(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/echinacea/
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Echinacea: What Should I Know about It?(American Academy of Family Physicians) - http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/articles/744.printerview.html
Also available in Spanish http://familydoctor.org/online/famdoces/home/articles/744.printerview.html
- Ephedra(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/ephedra/
- European Elder(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/euroelder/
- European Mistletoe(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/eurmistletoe/
- Evening Primrose Oil(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/eveningprimrose/
- Fenugreek(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/fenugreek/index.htm
- Feverfew(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/feverfew/
- Flaxseed and Flaxseed Oil(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/flaxseed/index.htm
- Garlic(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/garlic/index.htm
- Ginger(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/ginger/index.htm
- Gingko(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/ginkgo/
- Goldenseal(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/goldenseal/
- Grape Seed Extract(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/grapeseed/
- Green Tea(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/greentea/index.htm
- Hawthorn(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/hawthorn/
- Hoodia(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/hoodia/
- Horse Chestnut(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/horsechestnut/index.htm
- Kava(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/kava/index.htm
- Lavender(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/lavender/
- Licorice Root(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/licoriceroot/
- Milk Thistle(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/milkthistle/
- Noni(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/noni/
- Peppermint Oil(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/peppermintoil/index.htm
- Red Clover(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/redclover/
- Saw Palmetto(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/palmetto/
- Soy(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/soy/
- St. John's Wort(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/stjohnswort/
- Thunder God Vine(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/tgvine/
- Turmeric(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/turmeric/index.htm
- Valerian(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/valerian/index.htm
- Yohimbe(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/yohimbe/index.htm
- Herbal Supplements: How They Can Interfere with Surgery(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) - http://www.mayoclinic.com/print/herbal-supplements/SA00040/METHOD=print
- Questions and Answers about Valerian for Insomnia and Other Sleep Disorders(National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements) - http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/valerian.asp
- St. John's Wort and Depression(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/stjohnswort/sjwataglance.htm
- Warnings and Safety Information(Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition) - http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/ds-warn.html
- What You Should Know about Herbal and Dietary Supplement Use and Anesthesia(American Society of Anesthesiologists) - Links to PDF - http://www.asahq.org/patientEducation/herbPatient.pdf
- Medicinal Herb Garden(National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Pacific Northwest Region) - http://nnlm.gov/pnr/uwmhg/
- Garlic Does Not Appear to Lower "Bad" Cholesterol(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/research/results/spotlight/022607.htm
- St. John's Wort Does Not Help Kids with ADHD(Nemours Foundation) - http://kidshealth.org/research/stjwort.html
- Article: Aromatherapy's benefits limited to mood improvement. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18700290&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Clinical inquiries. Do any folk remedies or herbals help induce... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18687232&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Effect of Lidan Granule on bile lithogenesis in patients with... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=18679607&tool=MedlinePlus
- Herbal Medicine -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=(phytotherapy[majr]+OR+medicine,herbal[majr]+OR+plants,medicinal[majr]+OR+drugs,chinese+herbal[majr])+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+review[pt]+OR+guideline[pt]+OR+clinical+trial[pt]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetn[text])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Herb-drug interactions -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=herb+drug+interactions[mh]+AND+(humans[mh]+OR+clinical+trials[mh])+AND+english[la]+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- Alternative Medicine Foundation - http://www.amfoundation.org/
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine - http://nccam.nih.gov/
- Menopausal Symptoms and CAM(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine) - http://nccam.nih.gov/health/menopauseandcam/
- Natural Herbs & Vitamins during Pregnancy(American Pregnancy Association) - http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/naturalherbsvitamins.html
- Phytoestrogens and Bone Health(National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases) - http://www.niams.nih.gov/Health_Info/Bone/Osteoporosis/Menopause/bone_phyto.asp
- Questions and Answers about Black Cohosh and the Symptoms of Menopause(National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements) - http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/BlackCohosh.asp
- Cancer Alternative Therapies - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/canceralternativetherapies.html
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/complementaryandalternativemedicine.html
- Dietary Supplements - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/dietarysupplements.html
- Complementary and Alternative Therapies - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/complementaryandalternativetherapies.html
- Wellness and Lifestyle - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/wellnessandlifestyle.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Herbal Medicine is the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine - http://nccam.nih.gov/
Herbal Medicine - Multiple Languages - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/languages/herbalmedicine.html