[MUST READ] What’s in your herbal supplement?

Aided by sophisticated packaging and the various strategies that herbal companies deploy in marketing their products, herbal supplements have become quite popular among many Nigerians.

Nowadays, the common belief is that ginseng restores energy, flaxseeds fight colds and gingko is best for control of blood sugar.

Although the debate on whether herbal medicines should be incorporated into conventional medicine is yet to be won, present arguments seem to favour the latter.

To fuel the debate, a controversial new study published in the journal BMC Medicine this month found that one-third of 44 herbal supplements tested showed no detectable amounts of the plant advertised on the bottle.

The researchers used DNA barcoding, a type of genetic fingerprinting, to determine the contents of the herbal supplements manufactured from 12 companies representing 30 herb species and selected from Canadian and American stores.

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The researchers say they were able to authenticate that in one-third of the products, ingredients not listed on the label were found in the product.

The researchers refer to these ingredients as ‘contaminants or fillers’. They conclude that the manufacturers of the herbal supplements had deceived the public.

While orthodox drugs have to be subjected to stringent clinical trials under the supervision of at least two scientific regulatory agencies, herbal supplements don’t undergo the painstaking scientific scrutiny as regular drugs do.

In Nigeria, more than 80 per cent of the herbal drugs sold have not undergone any scientific test.

Even in the United States of America, makers of herbal supplements do not have to get approval from the Food and Drug Administration before putting their products in the market.

This lack of regulation definitely leaves room for doubt on the safety, efficacy and usefulness of herbal medicines in healthy living.

It has also given quacks the room to operate freely without the fear of punishment.

The Chief Medical Director, Royal Cross Medical Centre, Dr. Femi Faduyile, says that since herbal practice is yet to be regulated, those who engage in it must do so with caution.

Faduyile notes that because herbal medicines do not undergo clinical trials and analysis, they could contain toxic and harmful chemicals that may corrode the liver and other vital organs in the body.

He says that manufacturers of herbal products have been known to package and sell drugs that are of no benefit to human health or the conditions they claim to manage.

 “When you take something that has not been analysed to know whether it is useful or not, then you are exposed to danger. Some herbal preparations are not even useful when you analyse them. They are as good as drinking water while some are as potent poison.

“When you keep drinking herbs that are not good, the liver and kidney keep working to eradicate them. The day they get tired of doing the dirty job too often, they will pack up. You may be 30 years old then,” he says.

Also, the Lagos State Chairman, Association of Community Pharmacists, Mr. Yinka Abdulsalami, notes that the fact that herbal supplements are sold in pharmacies does not mean that it is efficient in the treatment of the ailment it claims to treat.

 He says, “The fact that you bought a herbal drug from a pharmacy does not certify that it is going to cure specified diseases. The herbal supplement business has been proliferated by quacks. As it is, anybody who has the capacity and is looking for clients can claim to have herbal supplements that cure hypertension, HIV/AIDs or any disease in vogue and nobody will hold them liable or responsible. It is the individual, not the pharmacy, that must decide how important life is to them.”

However, this does not mean that herbal medicines should be cast into the waste bin. It only means that one must be aware of the need to separate the wood from the chaff.

Abdulsalamin says one should seek advice from a qualified health practitioner knowledgeable in the field of herbal medicine before buying or taking any herbal supplement.

Since herbal supplements are sourced from plants, you can save yourself the trouble by growing some herbs at home.

While it is not possible with all herbs, many common herbs can be grown on a windowsill and used whenever needed, especially for herbal teas.  It is easier to identify the herb when it is still a full plant than when it has been dried, crushed, and added to capsules. That way you can ensure that you are getting the right value for your money.

-Bukola Adebayo/Punch

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