Organic medicinal herbs are some of the very first medicines man ever used. Today there are testing facilities designed to check herbs for their use against medical conditions. Clinical trials have been done on some herbs to detect their effectiveness on a variety of ailments; some show promise while others fail. Before beginning an herbal remedy, check with your doctor first. The herbs may have side effects to your condition that may hinder your recovery.
Fennel
Native to the Mediterranean, fennel is used as a food and as an herbal remedy. According to Wellness.com, fennel functions as an infant indigestion remedy and as a digestive aid. There have been clinical trials testing fennel for painful menstruation and for coughs induced by ACE inhibitors. More studies are needed to see how well it performs as a cough remedy, as initial studies are mixed. Side effects include nose inflammation, eye inflammation, asthma, hay fever, seizures and eyelid inflammation.
White Horehound
Found in the over-the-counter cough remedy Ricola ™, white horehound is widely used in Europe for coughs and lung conditions. More studies are needed for its use in cough remedies. According to Wellness.com, there is early preliminary support for white horehound use in diabetes patients as well. Side effects include low blood pressure and low blood sugar in some of the animal studies done. Other side effects include vomiting, diarrhea, leg swelling and generalized muscle weakness.
Milk Thistle
Used as an astringent, stimulant and diuretic, milk thistle has confirmed research that it protects the liver against alcoholic poisoning, according to Plants for a Future. Ingesting milk thistle can treat gallbladder and liver disease such as cirrhosis and hepatitis. A component of milk thistle, silybin, is used for mushroom poisoning. Extracts are commercially produced from this plant in Europe.
Kava
Kava is a South Pacific island native that has been used as a sedative, an antiseptic for urinary tract infections, and for asthma. Today clinical testing has kava used topically as a numbing agent and internally as an anxiety treatment. According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, NCCAM, clinical trials on kava were suspended when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned that kava was linked to liver damage. No further testing has been done on the supplement.
Member Comments