More and more, our pharmacists are asked questions regarding the use of herbs to treat or prevent disease. Here are two herbs that have been studied for their effectiveness.

Turmeric, a spice used in curry, contains curcumin which has anti-inflammatory properties that can help relieve the pain and swelling associated with arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. Turmeric has long been used in Asian medicine arthritis pain, gastrointestinal pain, and "low energy." Laboratory and animal studies have shown anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties. As with most herbs, there are limited human studies. There is evidence in human studies of effectiveness for heartburn and lowering cholesterol levels. Adult doses used range from 450 mg of curcumin to 3 gm of turmeric root daily taken in divided doses. Use in children younger than 18 has not been studied. Allergic reactions to turmeric are possible. Possible side effects include nausea and heartburn especially at high doses over long periods. Turmeric may increase the risk of bleeding and should be used with caution when taking other medications that increase the risk of bleeding, such as aspirin. Turmeric may also lower blood sugar so should be used with caution when taking other drugs to lower blood sugar, as in diabetes. Turmeric has been used traditionally during pregnancy and breast feeding; however, there is some evidence of increased uterine stimulation so caution is advised during pregnancy.

Ginger has long been used to prevent or treat nausea. A review of studies conducted on ginger for postoperative nausea showed that ginger was superior to placebo and equally effective as a commonly used medication, metoclopramide. There is also evidence that ginger reduces the severity and duration of chemotherapy-induced nausea. Adult doses of ginger capsules, powder, tablets or fresh-cut ginger range from 1 to 5 gm daily divided into smaller doses. Allergies to ginger are possible. There are concerns for the safety of use in pregnancy, especially at higher doses. It is suggested that women limit consumption of ginger to those amounts that are found in food, about 1 gm per day, during pregnancy.

References: http://www.prevention.com/cda/article/10-best-healing-herbs/5d728169c1903110VgnVCM20000012281eac____/health/natural.remedies/0/0/0/1, http://bja.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/84/3/367, http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-turmeric.html, http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/natural/patient-ginger.html.

[Return to Archive Index]

[PageTop]