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[Pharmacological considerations on herbal medicine use]
1Dipartimento di Fisiologia Umana e Farmacologia Vittorio Erspamer, Universita degli Studi La Sapienza, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy. gabriela.mazzanti@uniroma1.it
Annali Dell'Istituto Superiore Di Sanita
|July 23, 2005
Summary
Herbal products are often misclassified as dietary supplements. Many lack demonstrated efficacy and established therapeutic doses, challenging their supplement classification.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Herbal Medicine
- Regulatory Science
Context:
- Herbal products are regulated as dietary supplements.
- Pharmacological principles can classify herbal medicines.
- Current classification challenges exist for many herbal products.
Purpose:
- To classify herbal products based on pharmacological principles.
- To evaluate the regulatory status of herbal products.
- To differentiate between scientifically validated and traditionally used herbal medicines.
Summary:
- Herbal products fall into three pharmacological groups: demonstrated efficacy, probable efficacy, or uncertain efficacy with traditional use.
- Most currently marketed herbal supplements belong to the latter two groups.
- These products often lack known active principles and established therapeutic doses.
Impact:
- Highlights the need for rigorous scientific evaluation of herbal products.
- Suggests re-evaluation of the regulatory classification of many herbal supplements.
- Informs consumers and healthcare professionals about the evidence base for herbal medicines.