Alternate Therapies: Herbal Medicine

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Herbal remedies are the world's oldest form of medicine. While they have been part of mainstream medical care in Germany, Japan and France for decades, they have only recently become popular in the United States.

With the increasing interest in herbal remedies comes the need for health care providers and patients to familiarize themselves with these products, including their uses and potential side effects.

Meet the Experts

Wanting to learn more about the benefits and dangers of herbal remedies, Suzanne visits with two experts — Dr. Michael Cirigliano, who incorporates herbal remedies in his practice at The University of Pennsylvania, and noted author and herbalist David Winston.

The two professionals use herbs in different ways. Dr. Cirigliano recommends specific herbs for specific problems (for example, chronic fatigue or rheumatism). He refers patients who want to go further with herbal treatment, or who are against pharmaceuticals, to a qualified herbalist…like David Winston.

Winston takes an allopathic approach to herbal remedies, custom blending herbs to suit the needs of each individual patient. Winston draws on Cherokee, Chinese and Western herbal traditions and has been in herbal clinical practice for more than 20 years. In addition to consulting, teaching and formulating herbal products, Winston is a founding member of the American Herbalist Guild.

Herbal Categories

Mainly used for brief, transient conditions or mild conditions that don't require sophisticated medications, herbal remedies fall into three categories:

Food herbs (such as lemon balm, ginger and rose hips, which may cause allergic responses);

Medicine herbs (such as, blue cohash, goldenseal, and oregon grade root, which are used for specific conditions with medical diagnosis and diagnosed for limited period of time);

Poison herbs (such as belladonna or henbane, which have a strong potential for acute or chronic toxicity and should only be utilized by highly-trained clinicians).

Popular Remedies

Some popular remedies include:

• Echinacea — stimulates the immune response. While it is not for every day use, it can be useful for a whole range of acute onset viral and bacterial conditions.
• Ginko Bilboa — aids memory. In fact, according to The Journal of American Medical Association, Ginko Biloba slows the progression of Alzheimer’s.
• Saw Palmetto — reduces swelling of prostate in elderly men.