HERBAL REMEDIES: TRADITIONAL MEDICINES GAINING ACCEPTANCE

Annette Emmons, front, and Sarah Blevins arranged herbal remedies in A Touch of Grace Herb Shop on Themis Street.

Rose hips, lavender, St. John's Wort and other herbs can be used in tinctures, balms, pills and teas.

Although it might seem like the latest fad, the therapeutic use of plant products -- herbal medicine -- is among the oldest of medical practices. It is a natural feature of many current forms of folk and traditional medicine.

Their versatility is one of the reasons herbal remedies have remained so popular, used in teas, tinctures, balms, capsules and pills.

Made from plants with medicinal qualities, herbal treatments have been used to combat a wide range of disorders from sore throats to arthritis to menstrual pains.

Herbal remedies has become a billion dollar industry with customers purchasing common herbs like garlic and ginger, as well as St. John's Wort and Milk Thistle to cure what ails them.

Herbal products have also been known to be used in unconventional cancer treatments.

"People should be careful about what kind of herbs they purchase," said Annette Emmons, manager of A Touch of Grace Herb Shop.

Many "herbal" remedies, particularly imported varieties, may contain powerful -- and potentially toxic -- pharmaceutical drugs, contain herbs grown with pesticides or fumigated in shipment, or contain foreign material.

"It's important to go to a place where people are educated about what they're selling," Emmons said. "People are so individual in their needs, what may be good for one, may be harmful to others. We try to ask as many questions as possible before selling a product."

The word "natural" does not always mean safe.

Emmons said clients who are already on some type of medication, or who have multiple ailments, such as a weight problem combined with a heart condition, should use extra caution when treating themselves with herbs.

Women who are pregnant and people who are being treated for chronic illnesses should also be cautious.

Since herbs are not regulated as drugs, no legal standards exist for their processing, harvesting, or packaging. Therefore, it's doubly important to purchase from a reputable source.

This makes the use of natural herb remedies a sometimes controversial subject.

Herbal treatments have often been viewed skeptically by physicians who argue that since dosage is so highly variable among brands, the herb's effectiveness cannot accurately be predicted.

Homeopaths argue that herbal remedies are safer than pharmaceutical prescriptions and have less side effects.

Doctors in Germany and England, and more recently, North America have tried to bridge the gap between homeopathy and medical science.

Herbalists acknowledge that herbs, like drugs, can have serious side effects and doctors are noting that some herbal medicines have potential in treating some medical symptoms.

As in buying a drug, before buying an herbal remedy, it's important to know what it contains and whether it is safe for you.