Adverse Effects of Herbal Drugs

This book is the first volume of a series on the adverse effects of herbal drugs. The encouraging results with the herbal remedy feverfew as a prophylactic antimigraine agent is a recent illustration that botanical medicine can still provide exciting the­ rapeutic discoveries. This book is the first volume of a series on the adverse effects of herbal drugs. We begin this series not because we are opposed to phytotherapy, or because we want to share our ammunition with adversaries of herbal drug treatments. We realize that several remedies of natural origin (e. g. , senna, ipecac) have retained a prominent place in the conventional drug armamentarium. We also recognize that the general public appreciates so-called mildly acting herbs for self-medication purposes. We acknowledge that even when such herbs have no pronounced pharmacological acti­ vity, their psychosocial effect remains an asset that should not be ignored. Moreover, we do not hold the often heard opinion that traditional remedies are nothing but a collection of worthless relics from the remote past which cannot possibly be relevant for modem medicine. We consider this an erroneous assumption thas has been refuted repeatedly by experimental research on traditional botanicals. The encouraging results with the herbal remedy feverfew as a prophylactic antimigraine agent is a recent illustration that botanical medicine can still provide exciting the­ rapeutic discoveries. For these reasons it is not our intention to place botanical remedies indiscriminately in an unfavorable light. We do not seek to dam up the "green" wave that is sweeping over our society. We do consider it important, however, that this wave be appropria­ tely chanelled, and with this basic attitude we have assumed edi­ torial responsibility.

This volume provides information about 18 specific medicinal herbs and important plant constituents. These have been selected for several reasons, such as a prominent place in phytotherapy, clinical expectations about therapeutic potential and recent concern about an adverse reaction. This third contribution to our series has the same approach as the previous two volumes. The book opens with a general introductory chapter (this time on herbal postmarketing surveillance), which is fol- lowed by eighteen comprehensive monographs about specific medici- nal herbs and important plant constituents. The herbs and constituents have been selected for several reasons, such as a prominent place in phytotherapy (e. g. Valeriana species), clinical expectations about therapeutic potential (e. g. Tripterygium species), and recent concern about a serious adverse reaction (e. g. Teucrium chamaedrys). Just as before, the result is a blend of new and old information. THE EDITORS December 1995 Contents An Introduction to Herbal Pharmacovigilance ...P. A. G. M. DE SMET Artemisia Cina ...15 H. J. WOERDENBAG, W. VAN UDEN and N. PRAS Aspalathus Linearis...23 P. A. G. M. DE SMET Citrullus Colocynthis ...29 P. A. G. M. DE SMET Fucus Vesiculosus and Allied Brown Algae ...37 I. H. BOWEN and I. J. CUBBIN Ginkgo Biloba ...51 H. J. WOERDENBAG and LA. VAN BEEK Glycyrrhiza Glabra ...67 R. F. CHANDLER Linum Usitatissimum ...89 H. J. WOERDENBAG, W. VAN UDEN and N. PRAS Phoradendron Flavescens ...9 9 P. A. G. M. DE SMET Safrole - General Discussion ...105 G. ABEL Safrole - Sassafras Albidum ...123 G. ABEL X Contents Spirulina Species ...129 P. A. G. M. DE SMET Teucrium Chamaedrys ...137 P. A. G. M. DE SMET Tripterygium Species ...145 P. A. G. M. DE SMET Valeriana Species ...