Harmless Herbs? A Review of the Recent Literature

The 1998 review by Edzard Ernst, MD, critically examined the safety of herbal remedies, revealing that they can cause a range of adverse effects such as allergic reactions, toxicity, drug interactions, and contamination. Instances of severe toxicity, including liver failure and death, were reported, with specific cases involving royal jelly, germander, and Chinese herbs containing aristolochic acid. The review highlighted the underreporting of adverse effects and the lack of comprehensive safety data compared to synthetic drugs. It also noted issues like contamination with heavy metals and adulteration with undeclared pharmaceuticals. A survey mentioned found that 8% of 400 complementary medicine users experienced adverse effects from herbal remedies. The review concluded that despite some herbal treatments showing fewer adverse effects than synthetic medications, there is a significant need for systematic research into the risks of herbal medicines due to their increasing popularity.