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Introduction to the UTEP / UT Austin
Cooperative Pharmacy Program’s Herbal Safety Website
Text
by Armando González Stuart, Ph.D., 2004
Herbal Research Coordinator
The website has two primary purposes: To
disseminate information about research findings related to herbal use in
our region, as well as to provide information about the safety of herbal
product use in both English and Spanish. This feature makes it one of
the few bilingual websites specifically developed to disseminate
non-commercial information about medicinal plants.
In the past two decades, there has been a
dramatic increase in the use of herbal products in the United States.
Based on research undertaken by our program, the use of diverse herbal
products is even more common in the Texas-Mexico border region than in
the rest of the country.
Unfortunately, some of the information
currently available about medicinal plants is either misleading, or
simply lacking. This is especially true of the medicinal plants from
China, India or Mexico, for example, which, aside from a few exceptions,
have not been studied in depth for their potential therapeutic
applications.
Anecdotal information is not a reliable form
of evidence for the safe use of any herbal product.
Medicinal herbs may indeed be a therapeutic
option, but only if used properly and under the guidance of a
professional. Too often we hear the expression: “Since herbal products
are natural, they are safe”. Unfortunately, this is not always true, due
to a myriad of factors including the following:
For the reasons outlined above, it is
necessary to have a source of factual information regarding medicinal
plant use for both the health professionals and the public. This is the
principal objective for this website.
The following information is a brief
description of the various components of the website:
Overview of
the Herbal Safety Website
Objectives: To explain the need for factual
information about herbal products used internationally, but with
emphasis on the United Sates-Mexico border, where the prevalence of
Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is much higher (almost 70%)
in comparison with the rest of the U.S.A.
Target Audience: The public, as well as
physicians and other biomedical personnel.
Languages: English and Spanish.
Content: Information about the widespread use
of herbal medicine in our border area and the possible hazards to be
encountered in self medication with some herbal products.
Herbal
Monographs
Objectives: To provide current technical and
evidence-based information on medicinal herbs from the toxicological and
pharmacological perspective
Target Audience: Pharmacists, Physicians,
Nurses, Alternative Medicine health providers, and students of
biomedical sciences.
Language: English (the Spanish translation is
currently underway).
Content: Common names and scientific
classification of each herb, along with technical information related to
its constituents, active principles (if known), possible actions on the
human body and potential adverse effects including herb- drug
interactions. All herbal monographs contain at least one color
photograph of the plant in order to facilitate identification of the
herb.
A table of selected clinical trials and their
results is included for those plants that have been scientifically
investigated, such as Ginkgo, Echinacea and garlic, for example.
Comments: Currently, 16 out of a prospective
35 monographs have been completed.
Herbal Fact
Sheets
Objectives: To provide the public with a
brief, reader-friendly source of information in non technical terms,
about the safety and precautions in herbal use.
Target Audience: The public.
Languages: English and Spanish.
Content: The common names of the herb in
English and Spanish, as well as the scientific name are also provided
for species verification purposes. The purported medicinal applications,
the forms in which it is used, and the possible risks or side effects
are all clearly indicated. All fact sheets contain at least one color
photograph of the plant in order to facilitate identification of the
herb.
Comments: Currently, 39 fact sheets have been
completed and the great majority of them have already been translated
into Spanish.
Publications
Objectives: To provide scientists and
students with articles written by the website personnel related to
safety issues regrding Complementary and Alternative Medicines (CAM),
with emphasis on herbal use by our border populations.
Target Audience: Pharmacists, Physicians,
Nurses, and students of biomedical sciences.
Language: English.
Content: Technical information regarding CAM
use in the Paso del Norte region.
Comments: These articles have been published
by peer-reviewed journals.
Special
Populations
Objectives: To inform the public of possible
risks associated with herbal use by special populations which are deemed
more at risk of a possible herb side effect, such as:
1). Pregnant and lactating women.
2). Patients who are planning to undergo
surgery.
3). People who suffer from allergies, such as
asthma, for example.
Target Audience: The public, as well as
physicians and other biomedical personnel.
Languages: English
Content: This section contains information,
in table form, about specific herbs that may contain toxic compounds or
that could pose a risk to the consumer.
Comments: The translation of this section
into Spanish is currently underway.
Presentations
Objectives: To provide information about
scientific presentations given to schools, hospitals and universities
about Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), as well as about the
main herbal products used in our border area (El Paso, Texas and Ciudad
Juárez, Mexico.
Target Audience: The public, as well as
physicians and other biomedical personnel.
Language: English.
Content: Various topics related to CAM use in
the Paso del Norte region.
Promotora
curriculum
Objectives: To provide information about the
importance of health promoters (promotoras) in our area, especially
among the underserved populations of the Paso del Norte region.
Target Audience: Health promoters and other
health care providers.
Language: English.
Content: Basic information about the safe use
of herbs and herbal products.
Toxic Plants Found in Schools, Gardens, and
Homes
Objectives: To inform of the danger involved
in having certain potentially poisonous plants in the school, garden,
and home.
Target Audience: Parents, teachers, students,
and health care providers.
Language: English.
Content: Information about the most important
poisonous plants in our region and their toxic effects.
Comments: This section is currently in
preparation and will contain color photographs to help identify the
plants.
Staff
directory
Objectives: To provide the user with a means
to ask a question about the safety of a particular herb or remedy, as
well as to provide the public with information about the research team
responsible for the website content.
Target Audience: The public.
Language: English.
Content: Curricular biographical data and
contact information (mail, telephone, fax, and e-mail) for all website
personnel.
Comments: The website e-mail is now
operative: herbalsafety@utep.edu
