Department of Pharmacology, University of Ioannina, Greece
Review Article
Herbal medicines: benefits and risks
Author(s): Maria Konstandi*
The popularity of herbal medicines is growing, mainly because they are perceived as low risk and are often used over the counter in alternative and complementary medicine in the framework of primary health care. But, medicinal plant preparations should be used with caution, because they contain hundreds of active biomolecules with potential beneficial or even detrimental effects for health and disease. These active substances are often capable of modifying vital functions of the body and interacting with other medications the patient is on, with significant impact on the effectiveness and toxicity of pharmacotherapy. Herbal preparations may also contain pesticides, microbes, heavy metals, solvents and other contaminations that increase their toxicity potential. Misidentification of plant species and excessive amounts used in herbal preparations are also responsible for toxicity. There.. View More»
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