Ask Dr. Sue - Herbal Medicine

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Dr. Kathi Kemper is the associate director for research for the Family Medicine Residency at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle. She is also president-elect of the Ambulatory Pediatric Association and the author of The Holistic Pediatrician (HarperCollins, 1996, $18 paperback).


Herbal medicines contain chemicals which affect body functions. Since they are sold in health food or grocery stores and grown in home gardens, many people think of herbal medicines as natural and safe remedies. Some regulated medications are refined from herbal sources or synthesized to mimic chemicals originally found in herbs. The potency and content of regulated medications must be assayed routinely. However, unlike medicines that are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, there is little regulation, inspection, or predictability of the content of herbal preparations in the United States.

The safety of an herbal remedy is related to the type and amount of chemicals in it. Different soil, ...