natural medicines lec 1

• Natural medicines


  Herbal medicines, herbal remedies, herbal products, phytomedicines, phytotherapeutic agents
• Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPs)


  Contain only herbs as active ingredients, complex mixtures of at least so many different chemical compounds
• HMPs


  • Active constituents largely unknown
  • Additive or synergistic effects
  • Potential for negative interactions
• Complementary


  Natural products that can produce additional or more effects when taken alongside prescribed medication
• Alternative


  Natural products that can be taken instead of prescribed medication
• Types of natural medicines

  • Herbal drugs (derived from specific parts of a medicinal plant)
  • Herbal teas
  • Isolated natural products (pure chemical entities, licensed medicines)
  • Nutraceuticals ("functional foods")
• Herbal drugs


  • Senna pods and leaves
  • Ginkgo biloba leaves
  • St John's wort herb
  • German chamomile flowers
• Nutraceuticals


  Foods that have additional health benefits, have preventative/prophylactic activity
• Plant parts used for HMPs

  • Aerial parts/herb
  • Leaf
  • Flower
  • Fruit
  • Bark
  • Root
  • Rhizome
  • Bulb
  • Seed
• Use of HMPs is widespread, with a high level of expenditure in the UK market
• Reasons for using natural medicines


  • Adverse effects of conventional pharmaceutical products
  • Perception that natural medicines are "safe"
  • Philosophical views
  • Religious beliefs
  • Family traditions
  • Ability to self-medicate without professional advice
  • Advice from friends, social media, celebrity endorsement
• Regulation of natural medicines

  • Unlicensed herbal remedies (no safety information required)
  • Registered traditional herbal medicines (meet quality and safety standards)
  • Licensed herbal medicines (proven safety, quality, and efficacy)
• Exemptions to regulation include food and cosmetic/sports supplement products
• Quality of unlicensed HMPs


  • No guarantee of pharmaceutical quality, safety, or efficacy
• Quality indicators for HMPs

  • Batch number
  • Expiry date
  • Manufacturer details
  • Scientific botanical name
  • Plant parts used
  • Type of extract and equivalent quantity of raw material
  • Standardised constituents and concentration
• Contamination, adulteration, and variable composition are quality issues for HMPs
• Safety aspects of HMPs

  • Active constituents
  • Metabolites
  • ADME
  • Pharmacology
  • Toxicology
  • Adverse effects
  • Long-term use
  • Interactions with food/alcohol
  • Use by specific patient groups
  • Contraindications
  • Drug-herb interactions
• Efficacy of HMPs is often based on traditional use rather than clinical trial data
• Evidence-based research is required to address the many "unknowns" surrounding natural medicines
• The use of traditional medicine is widespread, with an estimated 80% of the world's population relying on it as their primary source of healthcare.
• Traditional medicine includes practices such as acupuncture, herbalism, massage therapy, and spiritual healing.
• Natural products are used to treat various health conditions, including pain relief, inflammation reduction, and immune system support.