Herbal Remedies Interfere with Lab Tests

A study has found that herbal medicines interfere with clinical laboratory testing and also pose a risk to people taking prescription medicines. These and other findings were reported at the annual meeting of the American Association for Clinical Chemistry (AACC) in Los Angeles (CA, USA) in July 2004.

Despite the lack of any efficacy evidence and the fact that no scientific investigation has identified effective dosage levels, 60% of people in the United States believe herbal medicines are safe and effective, according to the study. Yet herbal medicines contain crude mixtures of active and toxic components that can have adverse effects on users.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to allow herbal remedies to be marketed as dietary supplements in spite of the risks they pose. For example, St. John's Wort can dangerously double the effect of any prescription medication and also put people at undue risk of excessive sun exposure. Certain Chinese herbs such as comfrey and kava kava can cause abnormal liver function, liver damage, lead poisoning, and can aggravate hypertension. Gingko, garlic, and ginseng thin the blood and may cause internal bleeding.

Another study finding was that 80% of the people in Africa rely on herbal medicines because they cannot afford Western prescription drugs. The study was conducted by Amitava Dasgupta, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine, University of Texas-Houston Medical School (USA).




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