Dangers of Herbal Remedies

Warnings / Potential Dangers / Herbs could be fatal / 

BEWARE / Herbal Remedies can be dangerous.

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It has been proven that Herbs effectively improve the value of life for millions of people. The side effects of herbal remedies are far less than pharmaceuticals drugs, while that is said it has to be noted there are warnings and precautions that need to be shared. Nevertheless, it should be realized that herbs can be very potent and, if used incorrectly, can cause serious adverse effects.

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It is also important to note that some herbs have an adverse effect in prescriptions and over-the-counter medications, either decreasing or increasing the effects of these medicines. For example, St John’s wort can interfere with birth control pills and Gingko Biloba can increase your risk of bleeding with anticoagulant (blood-thinning) medicines.

https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2020/212/3/essential-oil-exposures-australia-analysis-cases-reported-nsw-poisons

Herbal medicines can cause kidney failure and liver damage in some consumers because they contain toxic chemicals or heavy metals, or react harmfully with other drugs, a study has found.

The findings come from a paper published in the Medical Journal of Australia on Monday. Researchers led by the University of Adelaide reviewed the findings from 52 studies of herbal medicines and toxicology.

 “Toxic side effects of herbal medicines used in traditional societies have typically not been reported, and this is often cited in favor of their safety,” Byard said.

“However, the lack of systematic observation has meant that even serious adverse reactions, such as kidney failure and liver damage caused by some plant species have gone unrecognized until recently.”

The predominant users of herbal medicines in Australia is women under 35 with tertiary education. Many users of herbal medicines do not tell their doctor they are taking the substances because of the belief they are natural and therefore, not harmful, a co-author of the paper, pharmacology lecturer Ian Musgrave said.

“But herbs can be a source of very potent toxins, and in fact many things we use as medicines derived from plants are toxic, poisoning predators,” he said.

“We can use these toxins in low concentrations in order to have useful medical effects. 

Some people believe that because herbal medicines derived from natural products that they are not drugs, but they are, and they have the potential to cause harm or to interact harmfully with prescription medications.”

Herbs with Potential Dangers
Golden Seal		Used for constipation and colds, eye infections, and even cancer. There is a warning about using it incorrectly.  Goldenseal can affect your heartbeat and rhythm.  It can also have been dangerous if you have blood clotting issues. For your heart, it can lower your blood pressure. You should check with your doctor first if you have a blood clotting problems or are on blood pressure medicines.
Aloe		Alow used for burns, wounds, and skin issues. It is also taken internally for healing tumors, digestion.   Caution if can also cause an abnormal heartbeat or kidney problems. Alow can  lower your blood sugar levels if you have diabetes.
Ephedra		Known as ma huang, this herb has been used for thousands of years in China and India and now all over the world to treat coughs, headaches, and cold symptoms. It has also been found to help with weight loss and to get energy.  Recent is has been discovered to have increased heart problems and stroke. Other heart problems include an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. The FDA has banned ephedra as a dietary supplement, but it still can be found in some herbal teas.
Ginseng		All over the world Ginseng is advertised to slow aging, diabetes and help with sex drive, Others take it for diabetes, to boost immunity, or to help with sex. But it may lead to a drop in blood sugar, so it can cause issues for people with diabetes. Side effects can be caused because it causes blood thinning  Hypertensive and chronotropic activities, may increase digoxin levels, diarrhea, itching, insomnia, headaches, nervousness, rapid heartbeat, hypertension or hypotension, breast tenderness, vaginal bleeding.  It can lower blood sugar excessively in combination with diabetes medication.  It contains a chemical linked to possible birth defects.  May worsen hormone-sensitive conditions such as breast cancer, uterine cancer, ovarian cancer, endometriosis, and uterine fibroids, Insomnia.
Black Cohosh		Often used for menopause symptoms like hot flashes and night sweats and to help with PMS. The warning is for anyone with liver problems, there’s a chance it can cause inflammation or failure. It should also be avoided by women with breast cancer until more is known about how it may affect them.
Garlic		Some people believe it helps with high blood pressure and can treat cold symptoms. Studies show it can lower your cholesterol a bit, too. It’s safe for most people, but garlic can thin your blood. That can increase your risk of bleeding if you take blood-thinning medications for heart problems.
Licorice Root		Some people use this to treat coughs, stomach ulcers, bronchitis, infections, and sore throat. It can raise your blood pressure and cause issues with heart rate problems, so check with your doctor first if you have heart problems.
Stinging Nettle		Taken for allergies and arthritis, kidney and bladder stones, and urinary tract infections even help with dandruff. But nettle can make your body hold water, so you shouldn't take it if you retain fluid because of heart or kidney problems or if you take diuretics.
Feverfew		Commonly taken to try to prevent migraines and to help with arthritis and allergies.  A Warning for anyone taking  blood thinners, it may cause a problem with blood clotting, so it may cause issues for people with heart disease or blood disorders.
Ginger		Good for digestion taken for nausea brought on by surgery, chemotherapy, or motion sickness. It is also taken to treat arthritis and inflammation. Ginger like many herbs can cause problems with blood clotting, heart rhythms, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. Special warning if you are on blood thinners or have diabetes.
Arnica		This plan is used for muscle pain, bruising, tendons, swelling and other pains. Some people take to help with constipation. Arnica can also raise your blood pressure and cause a fast heartbeat and shortness of breath. It can even damage your liver, or bring on a coma or death.
Ginko		Taken for memory, clearer thinking to improve their memory. But it can thin your blood and cause bleeding. That's especially risky if you take blood-thinning drugs.
Kava		This is supposed to help with anxiety and insomnia. But it may cause liver damage, like hepatitis. So you shouldn't take it if you have liver or kidney problems. Kava also can be dangerous if you drink alcohol or take other drugs that make you sleepy. May also cause reversible dry skin
St. Johns Wort		Taken for depression, anxiety, and sleep problems. It can cause side effects like headache, nausea, dizziness, and dry mouth. And it may make you more likely to get sunburned. And it can make some chemotherapy less effective.
Buckthorn		Taken to strengthen immunity, help protect against cancer. Can also cause abdominal pain, diarrhea, potentially carcinogenic, with others can potentiate cardiac glycosides and antiarrhythmic agents.
Bitter Orange		Believed by some to treat angina, allergies, insomnia, nasal congestion, nerve pain, poor appetite, and liver and gallbladder problems. Side effects can be Fainting, arrhythmia, heart attack, stroke, death.
Areca nut		Areca is used to treat schizophrenia deterioration of psychosis, alleviate the sense of well being, Has been known to cause carcinogen contributing to cancer of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, and stomach when chewed.
Aconite		Studies have shown this to be helpful to reduce fever associated with colds, pneumonia, laryngitis, croup, and asthma; for pain, inflammation, and high blood pressure. But the warning is that it can also cause heart palpitations and arrhythmias, hypotension, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, respiratory system paralysis, death.
Saw Palmetto		Used for asthma, colds, coughs, migraine, prostate cancer, and sore throat. As good as it is that have been rare and mild gastrointestinal upset, headaches, diarrhea, gynecomastia, paroxysmal atrial fibrillation, ventricular rupture.
Senna		Senna is also used for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), hemorrhoids, and weight loss. However in some cases causes abdominal pain, diarrhea, potentially carcinogenic, liver damage.
		Reference: Ernst, E. (1998). "Harmless herbs? A review of the recent literature". The American Journal of Medicine. 104 (2): 170–178. doi:10.1016/S0002-9343(97)00397-5. PMID 9528737.
		Harmless Herbs? A Review of the Recent Literature
Herbs that can Kill
Water Hemlock		Hemlock is also known as devil's porridge, beaver poison or poison parsley., Water hemlock grows in marshy, swampy areas of meadows; and along banks of streams, pools, and rivers. Accidental poisonings usually occur when water hemlock is mistaken for edible plants such as artichokes potentially fatal symptoms in anyone unlucky enough to eat it. Painful convulsions, abdominal cramps, nausea, and death are common, and those who survive are often afflicted with amnesia or lasting tremors.
Deadly Nightshade		Atropa belladonna, commonly known as belladonna or deadly nightshade,  it is the sweetness of the berries that often lures children and unwitting adults to consume this lethal plant.   Nightshade contains atropine and scopolamine in its stems, leaves, berries, and roots, and causes paralysis in the involuntary muscles of the body,  Symptoms of poisoning include rapid heart beat dilated pupils, delirium, vomiting, hallucinations, and death due to respiratory failure. Even physical contact with the leaves may cause skin irritation.  Deadly nightshade has a long, colorful history of use as a poison, but what many people don't realize is that the nightshade family includes common food plants, including potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants and chili peppers.
White Snakeroot		Responsible for the death of Abraham Lincoln’s mother, Nancy Hanks.  She was poisoned by simply drinking the milk of a cow who had grazed on the plant. White snakeroot is a North American herb with flat-topped clusters of small white flowers and contains toxic alcohol known as tramadol.   Symptoms of "milk poisoning" include loss of appetite, nausea, weakness, abdominal discomfort, reddened tongue, abnormal acidity of the blood, and death.
Castor Bean		It is a beautiful, Tropical plant, it grows very large. The seeds are the source of castor oil, they naturally contain the poison ricin and are deadly in small amounts. It only takes one or two seeds to kill a child and up to eight to kill an adult.  Ricin works by inhibiting the synthesis of proteins within cells and can cause severe vomiting, diarrhea, seizures, and even death
Rosary Pea		Used to make jewelry, Many jewelry makers have died after pricking a finger  While the seeds are not poisonous if intact, seeds that are scratched, broken, or chewed can be lethal. It only takes 3 micrograms of abrin to kill an adult, less than the amount of poison in one seed,  Like ricin, abrin prevents protein synthesis within cells and can cause organ failure within four days
Oleander		Though commonly grown as a hedge and ornamental, all parts of the oleander plant is deadly and contains lethal cardiac glycosides known as oleandrin and nerine. If eaten, oleander can cause vomiting, diarrhea, erratic pulse, seizures, coma, and death,  contact with the leaves and sap is known to be a skin irritant to some people. People have become ill after eating honey made by bees that visited the flower. Even smoke from burning oleander can be fatal.  in Sri Lanka, where oleander poisonings exceed 150 per 100,000 people each year. About 10 percent of those cases are fatal.
Tobacco		Nicotine poisoning describes the symptoms of the toxic effects of nicotine following ingestion, inhalation, or skin contact. Nicotine poisoning can potentially be deadly, though serious or fatal overdoses are rare. Historically, most cases of nicotine poisoning have been the result of the use of nicotine as an insecticide. All parts of the plant, especially its leaves, contain the toxic alkaloids nicotine and anabasine and can be fatal if eaten.  Tobacco use causes more than 5 million deaths per year, making it perhaps the most deadly plant in the world.
European yew		European Yew. nearly all parts of this slow-growing tree can be poisonous. Some people have chosen to commit suicide by ingesting the leaves or the seeds, both of which contain a poison called taxane   a person or animal can die within a few hours of ingesting yew seeds or leaves
Daffodils		All parts of the daffodil contain a toxic chemical, lycorine. The part of the plant that contains the highest concentration of lycorine is the bulb. However, eating any part of the plant can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhea.  Daffodils grow from bulbs that could be mistaken for a portion of edible food, like an onion.
Doll's Eye		The berries contain cardiogenic toxins that can have an immediate sedative effect on cardiac muscle tissue.  Symptoms of poisoning include burning of mouth and throat, salivation, severe stomach cramps, headache, diarrhea, dizziness, and hallucinations. Ingestion of the berries can eventually lead to cardiac arrest and death.
Angels Trumpet		Angel's trumpets are woody-stemmed bushes with pendulous flowers that hang like bells.   All parts of these plants contain dangerous levels of poison and may be fatal if ingested by humans or animals.
Monkshood		A perennial herb often is grown as an ornamental plant due to its attractive blue to dark purple flowers. All parts of the plant, especially the roots, contain toxins. Aconitine is the most dangerous of these toxins. ... Raw aconite plants are very poisonous. Used by ancient warriors to poison the water of their enemies, In 2015, a gardener died of multiple organ failure after brushing past this deadly purple flowering plant on the estate where he was working.
Foxglove		The seeds, stems, flowers, and leaves of the foxglove plant are poisonous. They contain digitalis glycosides, which are organic compounds that act on the heart. When someone eats part of these attractive plants or sucks on the flowers, the glycosides affect cardiac function, causing an irregular heartbeat.

Some herbs can have dangerous interactions with conventional medications, so if you are on any medications, consult a professional doctor, herbalist or naturopath first, before you start any herbal treatment.

Take note of the following dangerous interactions:

·         The most common dangerous interactions between herbs and conventional medicine happen in people that are using anticoagulants (blood-thinning) drugs like Warfarin and Heparin.

·         Certain herbs like Gingko Biloba and Chinese angelica enhance the blood-thinning activity of anticoagulants thereby increasing someone's risk of internal and external bleeding.

·         St. John's wort: if you are taking antibiotics, anti-epileptics, immune-suppressants or anti-depressants you should not take St. John's wort as it can reduce the effectiveness of the other drugs.

Packaging and Manufacturing of Herbs

Contaminating Herbs

Contamination with heavy metals, adulteration with pharmaceuticals, and prohibited animal and plant ingredients are repeatedly found in herbal products.  More than 40% of all herbal products fail to contain as much of their active ingredients as claimed on their labels.  Intentional and unintentional adulteration with antibiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hormones, and heavy metals is common. Untested and unregulated steroids are sold to the public, including minors. 

Aristolochic acid nephropathy has been reported in patients who took herbal supplements without knowing that the manufacturer had substituted Aristolochia for another herb

Herbal products are promoted in magazines, newspapers, and books, on radio and television, and through the Internet. Herbs are advocated for treatment on the basis of unproven, word-of-mouth traditions and beliefs. Some promotional materials even claim that the featured product is “doctor recommended,” “the world’s most powerful,” “patented,” or “now presented without a prescription” (even if it had never been prescribed). In a study of Internet marketing of herbal products, Morris and Avorn (30) found that at least 81% of Web sites made 1 or more health claims; with more than 50% claiming to treat, prevent, diagnose, or cure specific diseases despite regulations barring such statements

More than half (58%) took supplements that had potential interactions with warfarin, amiodarone, sotalol, or digoxin. In a geriatric clinic, 46% of the patients were taking supplements with anticoagulation properties. Most (73%) were also taking a prescription anticoagulant and were unaware of potential interactions. Findings from another study indicated that 1 in 6 adults taking conventional prescription medications reported concomitant use of at least 1 CAM product during the preceding week, More than 40% of the respondents said that taking herbal medicine along with prescription medication was more useful than taking either alone.

The use of herbal remedies in the United States is widespread and increasing dramatically, yet current laws allow them to be marketed as dietary supplements not subject to the same regulations required for prescription drugs. Thus, the purity, efficacy, and safety of herbal products are often unknown, and individual products may not even contain the number of active ingredients listed on the label. In addition, manufacturers seldom report adverse events to the FDA.

There is a clear need for better public and physician understanding of herbal products through health education, early detection, and management of herbal toxicities, scientific scrutiny of their use, and research on their safety and effectiveness.

Other Resources. 

Cleveland Clinic, RDH,  Mayo Clinic

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