Herbal Supplements : Efficacy, Toxicity, Interactions with Western Drugs, and Effects on Clinical Laboratory Tests

This book focuses on efficacy, toxicity, drug interactions, and abnormal clinical laboratory tests resulting from the use of herbal remedies. Although a few herbal remedies are safe and have efficacy (for example saw palmetto), many herbal remedies are toxic. This book guides in the interpretation of abnormal test results in otherwise healthy subjects due to use of herbal remedies. Chapters focus on interactions between herbals and pharmaceuticals, sources of contamination in herbal supplements, and analytical techniques used in the investigation of herbal remedies.Content: Chapter 1 Introduction to Complementary and Alternative Medicine (pages 1–18): Catherine A. Hammett?StablerChapter 2 Relatively Safe Herbal Remedies (pages 19–44): Angela M. Ferguson and Uttam GargChapter 3 Risk of Toxicity Associated with Unregulated Herbal Products (pages 45–72): Steven W. CottenChapter 4 Herbal Medicines with Immunomodulatory Effects (pages 73–124): Jeffrey K. ActorChapter 5 Kelp and Thyroid Function (pages 125–134): Bruce RosenzweigChapter 6 Herbal Remedies and the Patient with Chronic Kidney Disease (pages 135–154): Mariana S. MarkellChapter 7 Abnormal Liver Function Tests Due to Hepatotoxic Herbs (pages 155–167): Amitava Dasgupta and Catherine A. Hammett?StablerChapter 8 Homeopathic Medicine: Principle, Efficacy, and Toxicity (pages 169–191): Amitava DasguptaChapter 9 Indian Ayurvedic Medicines: An Introduction (pages 193–208): Amitava DasguptaChapter 10 Tradition and Perspectives of Greco?Arab and Islamic Herbal Medicine (pages 209–253): Bashar Saad and Omar SaidChapter 11 Licorice and Laboratory Tests (pages 255–272): Salvador F. SenaChapter 12 Drug Interactions with St. John's Wort (pages 273–290): Matthew D. Krasowski and John L. BlauChapter 13 Drug–Herb Interactions in Patients with HIV/AIDS (pages 291–303): Natella Y. Rakhmanina and John N. van den AnkerChapter 14 Interactions Between Fruit Juices and Drugs (pages 305–319): Amitava DasguptaChapter 15 Drug Interactions with Ginkgo Biloba and Ginseng (pages 321–331): Ashok Tholpady and Semyon A. RisinChapter 16 Drug Interactions with Garlic and Ginger Supplements (pages 333–350): Charbel Abou?Diwan and James RitchieChapter 17 Heavy Metal Toxicity and Herbal Remedies (pages 351–368): Christine L. H. Snozek and Loralie J. LangmanChapter 18 Adulteration of Herbal Remedies with Conventional Drugs: Role of the Clinical Laboratory (pages 369–386): Uttam Garg and Angela M. FergusonChapter 19 Beyond Herbals: An Introduction to Poisonous Plants (pages 387–404): Catherine A. Hammett?StablerChapter 20 Interferences of Herbal Remedies with Immunoassays for Therapeutic Drugs: Focus on Digoxin (pages 405–423): Amitava DasguptaChapter 21 Role of the Clinical Laboratory in Detecting Plant Poisoning (pages 425–442): Ronald W. McLawhon HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS An evenhanded study of pharmacological interactions between Western drugs and herbal supplementsToday, a significant percentage of Americans turn to complementary and alternative medicine practices. Despite their popularity and wide use, these products do not undergo the same pre-market testing for safety and efficacy that is required of pharmaceuticals. In Herbal Supplements: Efficacy, Toxicity, Interactions with Western Drugs, and Effects on Clinical Laboratory Tests, editors Amitava Dasgupta and Catherine Hammett-Stabler present a comprehensive introduction to both safe and unsafe herbal supplements. The book emphasizes the pharmacological interactions identified between Western drugs and herbal supplements, and the effects of herbal supplements on clinical laboratory tests.Herbal Supplements provides a guide to the interpretation of abnormal test results in otherwise healthy subjects due to use of herbal remedies. Focusing on interactions between herbals and pharmaceuticals, sources of contamination in herbal supplements, and analytical techniques used in the investigation of herbal remedies, the book details: Pharmacological interactions between Western drugs and herbal supplements Effects of herbal supplements on clinical laboratory tests Key interactions between herbal supplements and various pharmaceutical drugs Medicinal plants and toxic effects Contamination of herbal supplements from metals, pharmaceuticals, and plant poisoning Analytical techniques, including immunoassays, used in the investigation of herbal remedies Unbiased and literature-based, this text offers toxicologists, clinical chemists, analysts, and pharmacologists a no-nonsense take on the efficacy, toxicity, and drug interactions of herbal supplements and medicines. An introduction to complementary and alternative medicine / Catherine A. Hammett-Stabler Relatively safe herbal remedies / Angela M. Ferguson and Uttam Garg Risk of toxicity associated with unregulated herbal products / Steven W. Cotten Herbal medicines with immunomodulatory effects / Jeffrey K. Actor Kelp and thyroid function / Bruce Rosenzweig Herbal remedies and the patient with chronic kidney disease / Mariana S. Markell Abnormal liver function tests due to hepatotoxic herbs / Amitava Dasgupta and Catherine A. Hammett-Stabler Homeopathic medicine : principle, efficacy and toxicity / Amitava Dasgupta Indian ayurvedic medicines: an introduction / Amitava Dasgupta Tradition and perspectives of Greco-Arab and Islamic herbal medicine / Bashar Saad and Omar Said Licorice and laboratory tests / Salvador F. Sena Drug interactions with St. John's wort / Matthew D. Krasowski and John L. Blau Drug-herb interactions in patients with HIV/AIDS / Natella Y. Rakhmanina and John N. van den Anker Interactions between fruit juices and drugs / Amitava Dasgupta Drug interactions with ginseng and ginkgo biloba / Ashok Tholpady and Semyon A. Risin Drug interactions with garlic and ginger supplements / Charbel Abou-Diwan and James Ritchie Heavy metal toxicity and herbal remedies / Christine L.H. Snozek and Loralie J. Langman Adulteration of herbal remedies with conventional drugs : role of the clinical laboratory / Uttam Garg and Angela M. Ferguson Beyond herbals : an introduction to poisonous plants / Catherine A. Hammett-Stabler Interferences of herbal remedies with immunoassays for therapeutic drugs: focus on Digoxin / Amitava Dasgupta Role of the clinical laboratory in detecting plant poisoning / Ronald W. McLawhon. HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS An evenhanded study of pharmacological interactions between Western drugs and herbal supplements Today, a significant percentage of Americans turn to complementary and alternative medicine practices. Despite their popularity and wide use, these products do not undergo the same pre-market testing for safety and efficacy that is required of pharmaceuticals. In Herbal Efficacy, Toxicity, Interactions with Western Drugs, and Effects on Clinical Laboratory Tests , editors Amitava Dasgupta and Catherine Hammett-Stabler present a comprehensive introduction to both safe and unsafe herbal supplements. The book emphasizes the pharmacological interactions identified between Western drugs and herbal supplements, and the effects of herbal supplements on clinical laboratory tests. Herbal Supplements provides a guide to the interpretation of abnormal test results in otherwise healthy subjects due to use of herbal remedies. Focusing on interactions between herbals and pharmaceuticals, sources of contamination in herbal supplements, and analytical techniques used in the investigation of herbal remedies, the book Unbiased and literature-based, this text offers toxicologists, clinical chemists, analysts, and pharmacologists a no-nonsense take on the efficacy, toxicity, and drug interactions of herbal supplements and medicines.

This book focuses on efficacy, toxicity, drug interactions, and abnormal clinical laboratory tests resulting from the use of herbal remedies. Although a few herbal remedies are safe and have efficacy (for example saw palmetto), many herbal remedies are toxic. This book guides in the interpretation of abnormal test results in otherwise healthy subjects due to use of herbal remedies. Chapters focus on interactions between herbals and pharmaceuticals, sources of contamination in herbal supplements, and analytical techniques used in the investigation of herbal remedies.