Herbal Remedies 101

For an introduction to herbs and a guide to using them safely and effectively, the Wellness Advisor sat down with Dr. Bernd Wollschlaeger, our Men’s Health Expert. Dr. Wollschlaeger is the Associate Editor of the Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association (JANA) and is the co-chair of the ANA Advisory Council on Continuing Medical Education. Since July 2001, he has served as a member of the Advisory Board of American Botanical Council.

Wellness Advisor: How long have Herbs been used as medicinal remedies?

Dr. Wollschlaeger: For several thousand years herbs have enjoyed a long history of use as medicines. Prior to the introduction of pharmaceutical agents, herbal remedies were the only reliable healing and treatment modalities available. The first edition of the United State Pharmacopoeia (USP) in 1820 contained 425 botanical substances—about 67% of all entries. Botanical medicine was used widely used in US until 1920 when herbs began to be replaced by pharmaceutical drugs. Several drugs used today such as Aspirin and Taxol, an anti-tumor agent are botanical remedies.

Wellness Advisor: How do herbs work in your body?

Dr. Wollschlaeger: Herbs contain multiple pharmacologically active substances and therefore the exact mode of action is often not known. Several herbs are well studied, such as St. John’s Wort and Saw Palmetto, and the effect of such herbs is defined. Its important to understand that herbs do not have a magic effect on our body and their effect can be compared to the effects of drugs. For example Taxol is derived from the Pacific yew tree and used as an anti-tumor agent. This demonstrates that a botanical remedy uses similar pathways as drugs do.

Wellness Advisor: What are three herbal remedies you would you suggest to keep on hand?

Dr. Wollschlaeger: It depends on your age and gender. For example a woman in menopause can safely use Black Cohosh for hot flashes and a man with prostate problems can use Saw Palmetto. For all ages and genders I would keep Echinacea at hand to reduce the symptoms of the common cold. Ginger is a good remedy to keep on hand for upset stomach and Flaxseed has been shown to maintain healthy blood cholesterol levels. Remember to always discuss the use of herbal remedies with your doctor! For more detailed recommendations about the use of herbal remedies, I recommend reading the recently published book “The ABC Guide to Herbs” published by the American Botanical Council. It is a comprehensive guide.