June 2, 2007 12:47 - Herbal Remedies And FDA
Herbal Remedies and Herbal Supplements do not come under the purview or regulation of FDA like drugs or pharmaceutical medicine. They are considered as dietary supplements so their market is not well regulated. And we have dissimilar or nonstandardized products of a single herb in the market.
The FDA claims that they can only regulate things which fall under the two categories, namely foods and drugs. According to the Food and Drug Act passed in 1906 and 1938, all nutrition additives and drugs should be approved by the FDA before they can be sold in the market. They all need to submit evidences about their health claims or how they can cure an ailment or condition, before they can be legally sold to the public.
They are more likely classified and regulated as food, which helps make it easier for herbal remedies to be sold in the market since there are fewer restrictions in terms of their approval. Unfortunately, since these herbal remedies make health and disease claims, there have been discrepancies as to where they are going to be classified, and how they are going to be regulated.
So there is need for....
1) More research trials about the claims of herbal remedies.
2) Harmony among the health and disease claims of herbal remedies.
3) Standardization of the herbal formulations.
4) Further study of their side effects and drug interactions.
5) Categorization by FDA or WHO of Herbal remedies for their health claims and benefits.
All this will happen some day but the ground will be formed by increasing use of herbs by consumers, more research and integrity of herbalists and researchers.
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June 2, 2007 13:04 - New Study Challenges Assumptions about St. John's Wort Drug Interactions
New Clinical study about St. John's Wort has questioned the potential drug interactions of this herbal remedy for depression with birth control pills and anxiolytic alprazolam and cough suppressant dextromthorphan. This research is against the previously held assumption that St. John's Wort reduces the effectiveness of these drugs by interacting with them.
This study is published in Life Sciences, July 2000. These results refute a common but unproven assumption about St. John's wort - that the herb reduces the effectiveness of many prescription drugs because it is metabolized through the same pathway in the liver (the cytochrome P-450 system). Another significant finding of the study was the fact that St. John's wort did not interfere with 3A4, the liver enzyme used to metabolize birth control pills and other common drugs.
Researchers of this study were the first to examine the metabolism of st. john's wort in human body, in place of test tubes. "The publication of this study in Life Sciences highlights the danger of issuing public warnings about herbs based solely on in vitro evidence. It can be very misleading to extrapolate results from the test tube to the clinical realm," commented Rob McCaleb, President of the Herb Research Foundation in Boulder, CO.
However, the only limitation of these studies is that these are relatively small with involvement of less than 10 persons that is why these are not given much importance in herbal medicine research. With time, this scenario will definitely improve.
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June 3, 2007 11:07 - Kava And Possibility Of Liver Damage
Kava or Piper methysticum is a popular herbal remedy for anxiety. Kava is used in two forms - one is kava kava drink or beverage that is popular in its native place of south pacific region; second form is standardized concentrated form of kava in tablets or capsules. The kava kava drink has very low concentrations of kava's active principle whereas capsules or tablets possess significantly higher concentrations.
There is very low possibility of liver damage with Kava Kava drinks. But when it is associated with alcohol abuse for prolonged times, say several years, there is risk of liver damage even in native people. No study has been done in this regard as liver damage might be due to alcohol abuse and not due to kava.
With its concentrated form available in most health food stores, it is advised not to take it with alcohol. There had been some reported cases of liver damage with kava use but all of such cases were found to suffer from multiple disorders and alcohol abuse. Also don't mix kava with pharmacological drugs as kava in itself has very potent anxiolytic effect.
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June 3, 2007 11:15 - Ayurveda Rasa Or Six Tastes In Ayurveda
There are six tastes described in Ayurveda. The term taste not only applies to the perception of taste buds located on the tongue, but to the final reaction of food in the acid medium of the stomach. These tastes are sweet, sour, salty, astringent, bitter and pungent. Vata dosha is balanced by sweet, sour, and salty. Pitta dosha is balanced by bitter, astringent and sweet, and Kapha dosha is balanced by pungent, bitter, and astringent.
All the six tastes are combinations of the five building blocks of nature. Each taste contains all five elements in it but has a predominance of two elements. This is known as the prakriti of the tastes. They are as follows:
1)sweet - earth and air 2)
sour - earth and fire 3)
salty - water and fire 4)
bitter - air and fire 5)
pungent - air and fire 6)
astringent - earth and air
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June 5, 2007 16:53 - How To Increase Breast Milk Production With The Help Of Ayurvedic Medicine?
The condition of proper nutrition to young new born babies is so much important as they rely only on breast milk for their whole nutrition during first few weeks of their life. Ayurvedic medicine understands this need fully and there had been ample suggestions about the possible causes, and about the means to rectify this condition of poor lactation.
What does it Mean By Galactogogue?
This word is made up of two parts - 'galact' or 'galacto' or 'gala' is the prefix that is related to milk; and the suffix 'agogos' means leading or flow.
This means that the herbs or other medication or agent that can increase the flow of milk form the breast of post-partum lady (or breast feeding mother).
Some Possible Causes Responsible For Poor Lactation:
Ayurveda authors mentioned the causes for lack of lactation and they are authenticated by modern medical science even today. They are...
Anger, Grief, Lack of feeling of love or relatedness toward the baby, Excessive dieting and physical exercise and resulting fatigue.
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June 5, 2007 17:09 - Ayurvedic Herbal Remedies For Controlling Fever And Infections
Ayurvedic Herbs For Fever & Infections:
Fever or Pyrexia or increased temperature of body is a common symptom and sign of most infections. The raised temperature indicates toward some pathology that alters the Thermo-regulatory center in brain. Mostly it is the toxins in the blood from various microbes and inflammatory products that raise the temperature. Ayurveda describes the medicinal herbs in following ways.
Ayurvedic herbal remedie are not as effective as modern drugs like antiobiotics and paracetamol that control fever symptomatically and eradicate the underlying pathogen. Yet for many of mild bacterial infections, for chronic recurrent infections like urinary tract infection, sore throat, amoebiasis, gastro-intestinal infections, respiratory infections do respond in a wonderful way to ayurvedic medicine.
Many of the viral infections are easily cured with ayurvedic medicine in common clinical setting like coryza, influenza, hepatitis.
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Find more about antiseptic herbs, refrigerant herbs, antipyretic herbs of ayurvedic medicine. Find more info here>>>
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June 6, 2007 20:34 - Ayurvedic Herbal Remedies For Women
Though there are several groups of ayurvedic herbal remedies for women. And in ancient ayurveda textbooks, there are certain specific categories of herbal remedies that indicate about the deeper consideration of ancient herbalists from India regarding the health and wellbeing of women.
Galactagogue herbs deal with the problem of scanty lactation. Till date, there is no remedy or drug for this trouble in conventional modern medicine. They sometimes prescribe hormones but they do more harm than the benefits. Ayurvedic medicine has described dietary factors, herbal remedies as well as proper lifestyle for assisting breastfeeding mothers to feed their babies.
It is a common practice in India, particularly in rural India, where traditional herbal remedies are more in use, to give herbal tea or granules to breastfeeding mothers help increase breast milk production. Shatavari and Methika or fennel seeds emerge as the best herbal remedies for this purpose.
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June 6, 2007 20:42 - Great Boost For Herbal Remedies By Such Long Term Studies Of Medicinal Herbs As Ginkgo
Traditional herbal remedies and medicinal herbs need the boost up of modern clinical trials. This results are - either the traditional benefits of herbal remedies are asserted or their claims are modified or negated. This process of assertion or negation should not be done only by a few tests of poor quality. There is definite need for long term clinical trials.
Ginkgo is one such herbal remedy that is already widely studied. It is a welcome sign that Oregon Health Sciences has undertaken such a long term clinical study of herbal remedy. This patter should be continued with other more popular and effective herbal remedies. Eventually as the results will be available to modern medical fraternity, there will be interest among them to turn herbal remedies into herbal medicine.
Patient recruitment has begun for a long-term study designed to test the effects of Ginkgo biloba in preventing or treating age-related cognitive decline in people aged 85 or older. The Oregon Health Sciences study will involve 200 elderly people who will be randomized to treatment with either 240 mg/day of ginkgo or placebo; placebo patients will receive ginkgo treatment after 24 months. The Tan Sheet, April 30, 2001.
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June 9, 2007 11:21 - About Four Phases Of Clinical Research Trials
All the drugs that are sold in market pass through foru phases of clinical reseach trials. These four phases are progressively done with more and more patients, therefore, ensuring the safety and efficacy of the medicine.
Phase One is about Clinical Pharmacology. 20 to 50 persons are included in the herbal research. Healthy volunteers or patients are taken into the clinical trial. The biological effects, tolerance, safety and efficacy is studied. The absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion is also studied where practicable.
Phase two is about Clinical Investigation. 50 to 300 persons are included in this advance study. Besides the above parameters, dose ranging, controlled studies are performed for efficacy and safety.
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June 9, 2007 11:32 - St. John's Wort And Its Anti-inflammatory And Antibacterial Activity
St. John's Wort Anti-inflammatory And Antibacterial Activity: Tradition use of st. john's wort as an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory agent is validated in this study. Any herb has hundreds of phytochemicals and thereby can have a vast range of effects and activities in our body.
In this study scientists investigated the in vitro effect of hypericum extract over human white blood cells myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity. MPO helps in producing hypochlorous acid that has strong oxidant and inflammatory tissue damaging activity.
Researchers found that hypericum reduced the oxidative activity of white blood cells and thereby the damage resulting from oxidation.
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June 10, 2007 05:03 - Herbal Remedies For Obesity
Find some herbs that are used for obesity. Some of these herbal remedies are general cleanse, and some others have direct action on reducing extra fat in our body.
Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis)
Astragalus (Astragalus gummifer)
Bee pollen
Bladderwrack (Fucus vesiculosus)
Brewer's yeast
Chickweed (Stellaria media)
Coconut oil
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
Evening primrose (Oenothera biennis).
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare)
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum)
Green Tea (Camellia sinensis)
Guggul (Commiphora mukul)
Kelp (Fucus spp.)
Licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra)
Malabar tamarind (Gareinia cantbogia)
Pineapple (Ananas comosus)
Plantain or psyllium (Plantago)
Red pepper (Capsicum), Hit Mustard, and other hot spices
Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus Senticosus)
Walnut (Juglans)
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June 13, 2007 00:24 - Ayurvedic Herbal Remedies For Constipation And Abdominal Disorders
Constipation is one such common disorder that is experienced by almost all the persons in the course of their lifetime. Ayurvedic medicine presents herbal remedies with ayurveda's holistic approach. There is no single ayurvedic remedy for constipation. First, this condition is understood in great detail and then remedies are presented according to different causes of constipation.
For Example,
Bulk forming agents like Isabagol husk powder helps those persons who don't take a good quantity of roughage or salad or leafy vegetables in their diet. This kind of diet lacks in natural fibre. So these persons can be helped greatly by taking daily at night one or two teaspoons of this husk with milk.
Another kind of herbal remedies for constipation are - one that diminsh the reabsorption of water from intestines, another group of remedies work on nerves of intestine, they stimulate the intestinal nervous system and peristaltic movements of small intestine increase and we have good motions!
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June 13, 2007 00:34 - The Benefits And Uses Of Passionflower
The name Passionflower refers to the passion of Christ: the 3 stamens represent his wounds, and the 12 petals represent the apostles. Passion fruit is sweet and aromatic, in fact, the fruit is used in Hawaiian Punch for flavor.
Recent studies have pointed to the flavonoids in passion flower as the primary constituents responsible for its relaxing and antianxiety effects. Some of the plants constituents, Apigenin, Luteolin, Kaempferol, and Quercetin, are being studied and showing promise in fighting Parkinson's Disease, Cancer, HIV, Leukemia, and more.
The leaves and stems are medicinal used as antispasmodic, astringent, diaphoretic, hypnotic, narcotic, sedative, vasodilator and are also used in the treatment of women's complaints.
Though there are several claims regarding the use and benefits of passionflower, it is most beneficial in anxiety, and related restlessness, headache, weakness, insomnia and digestive disturbance.
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June 14, 2007 17:04 - Bacopa As An Herbal Remedy For Anxiety
Bacopa or Brahmi is an important brain rejuvenative or medhya ayurvedic herbal remedy. Bacopa has been popular chiefly for its memory enhancing and concentration improving power. However, ayurvedic medicine uses bacopa in more versatile manner.
The medhya herbs act on three levels of our mind - first on grasping power, second on retention and third on recollection or memory. Bacopa is not used alone in ayurvedic medicine for enhancing memory. It is used along with other herbs that act as supportive herbs.
Brhami Rasayana is an electuary or jelly like preparation based chiefly on Bacopa. Brahmi tastes very good and children as well as adults can take it easily. The only precaution lies with diabetic persons as this ayurvedic preparation contains sugar.
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June 14, 2007 17:14 - Guggul Can Lower Increased Cholesterol In Blood And Prevent Cardiac Disorders
Guggul is an important ayurvedic herb that is both used alone as well as with other ayurvedic herbs. Guggul based herbal formulations are also known as guggul e.g. kaishore guggul, simhanada guggul, yogaraja guggul, rasnadi guggul. Guggulgum has been extensively studied for its effect on hyperlipidemia or increased cholesterol levels in blood.
Cholesterol - Baylor College of Medicine in Houston found that the guggulsterone, the active ingredient in the Guggul extract, blocks the activity of a receptor in the liver's cells called Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR). Later, Dr. David Mangelsdorf at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas confirmed that the guggul blocked the receptor and affected how cholesterol is metabolized.
Cholesterol - Another study conducted at Kerala University in India established that "guggul given to laboratory animals reduced their blood lipid levels quickly and effectively without side effects". They found that improved liver enzyme activity was one of the ways Guggul reduced the blood cholesterol. Kerala Univ., Indian J. Exp. Biol. 33, 1995
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June 16, 2007 09:46 - Ayurvedic Treatment In India Vs. Herbal Treatment In Western Countries
Many people confuse herbal treatment by herbalists in western countries to be equivalent to ayurvedic treatment in India. It is a wrong perception. Even though herbs and herbal remedies are one of the main tools of preventive and curative medicine in ayurveda, ayurvedic treatment is fully different as it is practiced in India.
What are the main tools of ayurvedic treatment in India?
A practical knowledge of doshas, seasons, ayurveda body type.
Knowledge of ayurvedic medicine as comprised of herbs, herbal formulations, herbal oils, ayurveda rasa remedies, ayurveda bhasma, ayurvedic panchakarma.
The ayurveda rasa and ayurveda bhasma remedies are not recognized anywhere else outside the Indian subcontinent. Many of the ayurveda bhasma and rasa prepartions contain heavy metals that are medicinally used after purification and calcification as prescribed in textbooks of ayurveda.
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June 16, 2007 09:55 - Two Pronged Approach Of Synergy For Holistic Health
Right from the ancient times when superstitions prevailed and now when scientific beliefs are given more value, there had been two pronged approach for understanding any object or any field - whether it is health or medicine or something else.
There are two ways - the outer analytical way that depends on rational mind and makes the use of scientific equipments and tools. It tries to analyze the part of any problem or situation or object. Many times this approach comes out with what our senses can't perceive and whole new dimension of understanding and realizations dawn on us.
The second approach is synthetic one - it is more intuitive, it is more experiential and it takes the whole in view, it is more spiritual and holistic. It is guided by wisdom and pure feeling of heart.
There can be scores of various ramifications of these two basic approaches in every avenues of life. Find more info about how they are related to the concept of holistic health for human being.
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June 17, 2007 10:07 - St. John's Wort Emerging As A Potential Cure For OCD
St John's Wort has been greatly extolled by clinical research trials for its antidepressant activity. And it is usual with herbal remedies to be labeled with a single prominent activity as is the common phenomenon with modern medicine. Ashwangandha is a great ayurvedic herbal remedy with adaptogenic effect. Several other useful medicinal properties are found in Ashwagandha but its use as an adaptogenic herb is prevalent all over the world.
In the same manner, the other benefits of St. John's Wort has been overlooked and we are not able to fully benefit from this wonderful herbal remedy. A small, open clinical study suggests that St. John's wort (SJW) warrants further study as a treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), an anxiety disorder characterized by repetitive behaviors and/or thoughts (Taylor et al., 2000). Numerous studies have shown that St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L., Clusiaceae) is effective in alleviating mild to moderate depression, possibly via effects on the brain's uptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Recently, studies have shown that serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SRI) antidepressant drugs (including clomipramine, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, and sertraline) are effective against OCD, leading researchers to speculate about the potential of SJW as a new treatment for the condition.
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June 17, 2007 10:15 - Ayurvedic Herbal Remedies For Liver Disorders
Ayurvedic herbal remedies have been at the forefront right from ancient times for preventing the disorders of liver and for curing its various afflictions.
Ayurvedic Herbs As Cholagogues: These medicinal plants cause the gallbladder to expel the stored bile. This effect is mediated in two ways.
Direct Cholagogues: Stored bile is secreted by the contraction of Gall bladder. e.g. Castor oil.
Indirect Cholagogues: Some herbs increase the intestinal motility and increase the metabolic pathway of bile and this in turn cause the secretion of more bile. e.g. Kutaki.
Anti-Cholagogues: These medicinal plants reduce the secretion of bile. e.g. Ahiphena.
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June 18, 2007 22:36 - Ashwangandha Or Indian Winter Cherry As A Potential Herbal Remedy For Cancer
Many cells in our body undergo cancerous changes daily. It is our immunity guards that save us from the pangs of this deadly disease. Many researches are done on herbal remedies that have immunity enhancing effects as well anti-cancer properties.
Ashwagandha or Indian Winter Cherry or Withania somnifera is an ayurvedic herbal remedy with proven adaptogenic properties. Many clinical studies have proved anti-cancer activity in this herb.
Observations of WS in Dalton's Ascitic Lymphoma were evaluated in Swiss albino mice. Lifespan was increased, number of cancer cell decreased, tumor weight was reduced with correction in hematological criteria. This study suggested its protective role in Dalton's Ascitic Lymphoma. (J. Ethnopharma. Aug. 2004, 93(2-3):359-61)
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June 18, 2007 22:43 - About The Sage Herb Plant And Indoor Herbal Garden
Sage herb is a popular and versatile herbal remedy that is famous as herbal home remedy, medicinal herb, culinary herb and ornamental herb.
The best kind of Sage plant grows in the islands of Veglia and Cherso, near Fiume. This district is called Sage region. It is found more where there is little soil and more limestone formation. From Spain to Mediterranean coast to Croatia and Dalmatia are the place where it is found naturally.
Sage herb is a good candidate for indoor herbal garden as it has culinary, medicinal, ornamental, craft and cosmetic properties. You can grow it in the garden or in a pot. The tree is cut and clipped to the good shape and it can be used to decorate the room. The additional benefit would be that flies won't enter the room where it would be kept.
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June 20, 2007 15:46 - Ayurvedic Herbal Remedies With Guggul
Ayurvedic remedies with guggul and other herbs are very famous in ayurveda. Guggul based herbal formulations are used in various disorders on a day to day basis by ayurveda doctors.
Guggul in itself is an important herbal remedy with antiobesity, anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-inflammatory activities. Guggul is used alone in the form of tablets or capsules of guggul extract.
However, in ayurveda, it is used in combination with other herbs. These adjuvant herbs work as supportive for that particular disorder. So it is possible that herbalists trained in western herbal medicine might be intrigued by this kind of prolific use of guggul in ayurveda because they are habitual to use mostly singe herbs.
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June 20, 2007 15:50 - Jammu And Kashmir Government In Favor Of Ayurvedic Herbal Remedies.
Despite financial constraints, the Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plant Board has sanctioned 65 medicinal and aromatic plant (MAP) projects to various government institutions, NGOs and individuals in the state. Minister of State for Health and Power Peer Mohammad Hussain stated this while inaugurating stakeholders' conference on ''Prospects of Medicinal Plant Production in Jammu and Kashmir''.
He said about 1400 hectares of land has been brought under in-situ conservation and ex-situ development under the 'Vanaspati Van' scheme. The new trend of switching over to herbal treatment the world over has necessitated systematic growth and conservation of medicinal plants and herbs in Jammu and Kashmir, which is blessed with rich diversity of flora owing to its favorable agro-climatic zones, the Minister added.
Mr Hussain urged scientists to come out with a comprehensive plan for identifying priority species with high market demand so that the farmers were motivated to voluntarily adopt cultivation of medicinal herbs for supplementing their family income.
He said the state government had sought adequate funds from the Centre to strengthen the Board so that the requisite infrastructure was made available for harnessing the medicinal-plant potential of the state in full.
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June 21, 2007 18:57 - Why Are Doctors Swinging About Herbal Remedies Between Drug Interactions And Placebo Effect?
The research in various herbal remedies through small, medium and large clinical trials is going on. However there are some serious and fantastic concerns raised many times by 'professors' or learned ones of modern medicine.
When researchers prove that herbal remedies do have some medicinal benefits, they assume it to be equivalent to placebo effect. Placebo effect is the benefit exerted by pseudo medicine in clinical trials. So they dismiss or take lightly the beneficial effect of herbal remedies by comparing it with placebo effect.
Another group of doctors have raised greater concern on drug herb interactions. This is another extreme of reactivity of these medical fellow persons. They dismiss benefits as placebo effect and they point toward danger with herbal remedies as they can potentially be harmful with drugs. It all seems so ironical. Dr. Vikrama has maintained right from the begining that herbal remedies do act like drugs and thet do act in ways that are beyond drugs. We need to develop a new paradigm with herbal remedies. They could not be researched with the paradigm of modern medicine.
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June 21, 2007 19:07 - FDA Sends Trial Research Project To Find Tampering With Herbal Remedies And Dietary Supplements
Students at Youngstown State University are conducting several research projects for the Food and Drug Administration. One project looks for drug counterfeiting with high-tech powder x-rays that map out the materials inside any crushed compound. When the powder x-ray reveals a different map than expected, the counterfeit is discovered. They have found counterfeit Lipitor from the United Kingdom, Australia, and the United States.
The FDA is also concerned with herbal remedies and dietary supplements, products not directly regulated since they are not classified as food or drugs. The FDA can test samples for safety, however.
"One online company was selling an herbal drink that was supposed to work like Viagra," said Daryl Mincey, chemistry chair at YSU. "It should work like Viagra. Upon inspection, little pieces of crushed up Viagra were discovered inside."
Mincey has been a science advisor to the FDA for about three years. He describes the battle against counterfeiters as a cat-and-mouse chase. Once revealed, they often simply move their operation or rename their product.
The wary consumer can take comfort in the fact that counterfeits sometimes reveal themselves. Toothpaste falsely labeled as Colgate was recently tracked to South Africa after it was discovered to contain a chemical similar to antifreeze. Spelling errors like "Alfca" for "Africa" on the label marked the toothpaste as a counterfeit.
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June 24, 2007 10:13 - Herbal Remedies For Common Cold
Common Cold is considered as a viral infection. The responsible viruses do change their strains so there could not be any significant progress in making vaccines against cold virus. But herbal remedies have been fruitful right from ancient times. Some of the handy helps are....
These five medicinal herbs form the wonderful herbal home remedy for cold - Golden seal, Garlic, Chaparral, Echinacea and Chineseastralagus root can all be combined together to make an excellent remedy to ease suffering of many of the symptoms associated with the cold.
Echinacea is known for its powerful anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties and is one of the most common and widely used of herbs today. Golden seal root is known for its properties in being able to dry mucus and Chaparral will relive and soothe the respiratory tract and bronchial tubes. Garlic has excellent anti-bacterial properties along with anti-viral ones and is said to work particularly well with the influenza virus as well as the common cold, while the astralagus root is known for its ability to give the immune system a good boost.
Lemon juice is said to be one of the most powerful and easiest home remedies for the common cold, and is most beneficial if there is a fever alongside the cold. Lemon juice is rich in essential Vitamin C and this will ensure that the body's resistance to germs and viruses is increased. It is important to note that lemon juice should be used with lukewarm or hot water.
Next important herbal remedy from Ayurvedic medicine is Ginger root. It is a common practice in India to use chopped pieces of fresh ginger to boil with water while preparing tea. Dry ginger has more medicinal effect in Cold as it is anti-Kapha according to ayurveda.
Turmeric is another spices and ayurvedic herb that is commonly used with milk for cough, sorethraot. If you want to relieve the stuffiness associated with a head cold then place some turmeric powder in a ladle pour a little milk over it and then hold over the burner of a stove, inhaling the steam that comes from the mix. This is an excellent way to ease congestion that allows you to breathe easier.
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June 24, 2007 10:21 - Fruits And Vegetables, The Similarities And Difference In Botany And In Nutrients
There are many differences between fruits and vegetables. Some are botanical and others are related with their ingredients and nutritious value.
Vegetables can also include leaves (lettuce), stems (asparagus), roots (carrots), flowers (broccoli), bulbs (garlic), seeds (peas and beans) and botanical fruits such as cucumbers, squash, pumpkins, and capsicums. Botanically, fruits are reproductive organs (ripened ovaries containing one or many seeds), while vegetables are vegetative organs which sustain the plant.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are the most nutritious ones. The processing procedures usually brings down the nutrients. Freezing, canning and drying can all result in losses of C, B vitamins and carotene (a precursor to vitamin A) since they are destroyed by exposure to heat and air.
With drying, for example, the common use of a sulfite treatment (the process in which the fruit is exposed to sulphur fumes from or dipped in a sulfate solution) prevents the loss of some vitamins, but causes the destruction of thiamin. Sulfites can also cause allergic reactions, so people sensitive to these preservatives should read ingredient labels carefully. Since January 1987 the FDA has required that sulfites be listed on the ingredient labels of the packaged foods that contain them. Blanching vegetables before drying (to destroy enzymes) results in some loss of Vitamin C, B-complex vitamins and some minerals because these are all water soluble. On the other hand, blanching reduces the loss of vitamins A, C and thiamin during dehydration and storage.
Dried fruits and vegetables do have less water in them, that is why the sugar and other ingredients increase on a basis of weight. Further nutrient loss can occur during storage unless the foods are properly packaged and stored. To keep the nutritional losses to a minimum, package your dried foods in airtight containers, store them at the lowest temperature possible, and consume them within several months to a year after purchase.
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June 27, 2007 23:02 - How To Identify Herbs And Herbal Remedies
Medicinal herbs and herbal remedies are commonly found in the natural surrounding. When we are not able to recognize them and when we don't know the benefits of a herbal remedy, it is not of any value to us. So knowing a bit about how to identify a herb is important.
Any herb can be identified along several parameters - the usual habitat and native place of a herb, its variant and species, its morphology or a bit about its stem, branches, leaves, flowers and fruits. With this information we can identify several common herbal remedies in the nearby surroundings.
Botanists use some other methods beside this one, they use microscopic examination to confirm the details of a herb. We should exercise proper caution while identifying herbs as some herbs are quite toxic. Herbal pictures are a great resource in identifying herbal remedies. Dr. Vikrama has developed this resource of herbal pictures of ayurvedic herbs that can be viewed and used by anyone who is interested in identifying the common ayurvedic herbal remedies.
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June 27, 2007 23:11 - Nepal Advocates The Promotion Of Ayurveda And Herbal Remedies
Promotion of ayurvedic herbal remedies was emphasized by a delegation of Nepal Ayurved Medical Association met with Minister for Health and Population, Girirajmani Pokharel on Thursday and presented various suggestions for the development and expansion of the Ayurved medicine in Nepal.
The Association drew the attention of the Minister for Health towards the Ayurved medicine sector remaining in the lurch in Nepal due to the lack of timely publicity and promotional efforts despite its approximately 100 years old history and age-old experience in the traditional medical practices through herbs.
Among the suggestions put forth by the Association include effective implementation of Ayurved medicine, proper identification and conservation of the available medicinal herbs and adoption of a special policy regarding the development of the Ayurved medicine by giving special attention to production of human resources in the sector in the country itself.
The delegation also presented suggestions relating to the need of strengthening the human resource, physical, financial and organisational status of the Ayurved institutions of all levels, increasing the capacity of the Regional and Zonal Ayurved Dispensaries and establishing five different sections at the Department of Ayurved.
It also demanded that at least 10 per cent of the national budget be allocated for the development and promotion of Ayurved medicine, that the Nepal Ayurved Medical Council be made effective and strong.
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Read more about ayurvedic herbal remedies.
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