Complementary medicines
1. Herbal medicine
Aloe vera |
Herbal products may be administered by various routes. Usually they are taken orally, but Aloe vera, is an example that is commonly applied topically, and mistletoe (Viscum album) is sometimes given by injection.
Kava-kava Courtesy of Wowbobwow12 via Wikimedia Commons |
In addition, the quality of some unregulated herbal products such as those used in traditional medicine may be causes of harm. Potential problems include:
✦ Failure of good manufacturing practice; incomplete or inaccurate labelling sometimes leading to inability to identify the product or its ingredients; incorrect dosage or instructions.
✦ Adulteration (e.g. inclusion of pharmaceuticals or toxic metals); mis-identification of herbs; substitution (i.e. different herb used to that which is supposed to be in the preparation); varying strengths of active ingredient between brands or batches (e.g. for St John’s wort preparations).
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