Herbal Medicine

The potential health benefit of herbs has been well documented not only through published literature but also through western herbal traditions and eastern medical systems such as Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. The wisdom of these traditions has served as a basis for the research that has been done to date. When one considers the potential variables: confounding factors, complexity of the phytochemicals working singularly or synergistically as well as the benefit of the placebo effect or the unbeneficial nocebo effect, requiring peer reviewed studies over the reports of practicing clinicians and their patients may slow our progress in providing help to those in need. Certainly the research that enlightens the medical community by identifying phytochemicals and understanding their pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics will be an important step forward. Additionally studies, although difficult to fund and administer, on combining cannabis other medicinal herbs to achieve a better therapeutic effect will be helpful.

Selecting the correct herb

Herbalists usually categorize patients according to their energetic state. This could be an imbalance of one or a combination of imbalances:

• Energy production (metabolism)

       Excess: too hot, stimulated, increased metabolism, irritated and inflamed,

       Deficient: Too cool, depressed, sedated, decreased metabolism

• Tissue density (moisture)

Excess: too damp, congestion, stagnation and swelling

Deficient: too dry, atrophied, hard, brittle, lack of water and good fats

• Muscle and tissue tone

Excess: constricted increased tone, loss of range of motion, (sympathetic dominant?)

Deficient: decreased tone, muscle weakness (parasympathetic dominant?)

Herbs can be categorized by their taste and energetic effect (warming/cooling, moistening/drying, constricting/relaxing). Balancing herbs tend to bring tissues back from stagnation or atrophy. Nourishing herbs provide nutrients to help healing and restore normal function.  

• Pungent herbs are stimulating and tend to be warming and drying. Examples are capsicum, Ginger, Black Pepper and Thyme.
• Aromatic herbs also tend to be warming and drying to a lesser extent. Many are used as essential oils (terpene content) such as: Peppermint, Chamomile, Basil and Lemon Balm
• Bitter herbs are usually cooling and drying. There are alkaloids (Goldenseal, Lobelia and California Poppy) and non Alkaloids (Alfalfa, Kale and Hops)
• Acrid herbs are relaxing, cooling and drying. Examples are Echinacea, Kava Kava, Black Cohosh
• Astringent herbs are drying and constricting. Examples are White Oak, Yarrow and Plantain.
• Sour herbs are drying and balancing (nourishing). Examples are Lemon, Cranberry and Blueberry. 
• Salty herbs are cooling and balancing. They have a high content of mineral salts. Examples are Dandelion, Spinach and Celery.
• Sweet herbs are balancing and moistening. Examples are Licorice, Astragalus and Ginseng.
• Mucilant herbs are cooling moistening and tonic (increasing tone). Examples are Aloe Vera, Comfrey, okra, Chia Seeds and Fenugreek.
• Oily herbs are cooling, moistening and balancing. Examples are Flax Seed, Hemp Seed, Coconut, Olives and Pumpkin Seeds.

Once the patient and plant energetic are matched, herbs that affect specific organ systems can be chosen to achieve the desired effect.

1. Horne Steven. “The 12 categories of Herbs”. The School of Modern Herbal Medicine 2015
2. Rose Lori. Hill College Holistic Wellness Pathway

There is adequate information to support the effectiveness of herbal medicine. Safety is another concern. “The dangers in using herbal preparations for treatments include the following:

• Unproven therapeutic effect
• Undisclosed toxicities
• Interaction of chemicals of chemicals in herbal preparations with each other and with concomitantly taken drugs at the level of functionally important biological entities such as plasma proteins, receptors, ion chemical channel transporters and others.
• Incompatibilities with patient age, sex genetic background and organs responsible for eliminating the effects of chemicals in herbal preparations such as liver or kidney
• Difficulty in standardizing treatments
• Inclusion of regular drugs with herbal preparations without disclosure”

Shimaan J A. “Herbal medicine what physicians need to know”. J Med Liban 2009 Oct-Dec; 57(4): 215-7

There are many herbal stimulants may have adverse effects for cardiac patients. Herbs that are contaminated with pesticides, heavy metals, bacteria or pharmaceutical agents are cause for concern. Herbal formulations with many herbal contents can have unpredictable effects. Cohen Pieter A. “Safety of Herbal Supplements: A Guide for Cardiologists”. Cardiovascular Therapeutics 2010 Aug; 28(4):246-253

There Is also concern about herbal interactions with general anesthetics. The main concern is herbs that have a sedative effect. It would be wise to discuss herbal supplements with the practitioners involved prior to general anesthesia. Bajwa S J S etal. “Alternative medicine and anesthesia: implications and considerations in daily practice”. Ayu 2012 Oct-Dec; 33(4): 475-480

Herbal supplements are generally safe unless proven otherwise Using best practices, the practitioner would:

• Make a thorough client evaluation and base herbal recommendations on the findings for that individual.
• Make herbal preparations from wild herbs that are locally grown, if possible.
• Recommend herbal preparations that are manufactured by reputable companies that use Good Manufacturing Practices that have been established by the FDA and have their products tested for quality of the content.

Conclusion

 The Herbalists should recommend herbs only after considering pharmacodynamics, pharmacokenetics and energetics to provide the maximum  safety and effectiveness.

“We are in the mist of a global pandemic of obesity, diabetes, cancer, dementia, depression and other chronic diseases caused by modern life styles and their associated lack of physical activity, high intake of sugar, fat, salt, alcohol, tobacco and exposure to a toxic cocktail of industrial chemicals. The solutions for this current health crisis are therefore more likely to be found in the homes and behaviors of individuals than in medical clinics, hospitals or pharmacies.” Marc M. Cohen. “Ocimum sanctum: an herb for all reasons”. J Ayurveda Integr 2014 Oct-Dec; 5(4): 251-259. This may be the key to medical practice achieving effective and lasting results with cannabis and other herbal therapies.