Resources aid herbal supplement research
There’s a wealth of information available
Health care professionals are not always savvy about herbal supplements, says Debbie Scholtz, PharmD, assistant professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Tennessee-Memphis College of Pharmacy. Yet there are many resources available to aid in preparing information sheets for patients. Following are a few resources our experts recommend:
• American Botanical Council — This organization produces a journal on herbs called Herbal Gram. It also has a large catalog of books and conducts herb walks and courses. For more information, contact: American Botanical Council, P.O. Box 144345, Austin, TX 78714-4345. Telephone: (800) 373-7105 or (512) 926-4900. Web site: http://www.herbalgram.org.
• Herbal Gram — A quarterly journal produced by the American Botanical Council. The editorial content includes feature-length articles, research reviews, conference reports, and book reviews. The cost of a subscription is $25. (To order, contact American Botanical Council, above.)
• The Complete German Commission E Monographs, Therapeutic Guide to Herbal Medicines — This book contains information on several hundred herbs that includes a description of the herb, its composition, pharmacological properties, clinical data, special precautions, side effects, interactions with other drugs, dosage, mode and duration of application, overdose, and special warnings. The cost is $189 for the volume, with an $11.50 shipping and handling fee. It is available through the American Botanical Council. (To order, contact American Botanical Council, above.)
• The Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS) at the National Institutes of Health — The ODS has a database of published international scientific literature on dietary supplements. Access to the database is free through the ODS Internet home page. Web site: http://odp.od.nih.gov/ods/.
The Nine Most Popular Herbs
There are a multitude of herbal supplements. However, patient education managers will save time and funds by creating teaching sheets only on the most popular herbs. Following is a list of the herbs consumers are most frequently buying, according to sources interviewed by Patient Education Management:
• Echinacea — Echinacea purpurea
• Garlic — Allium sativum
• Ginkgo — Ginkgo biloba
• Ginseng — Panx ginseng
• Hawthorn — Crataegus oxycantha
• Kava Kava — Piper methysticum
• St. John's Wort — Hypericum perforatum
• Saw Palmetto — Serrenoa serrulata
• Valerian — Valerian officinalis
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