>And, since you brought it up, where are the statistics that PROVE herbal
>"remedies" are "as effective as [they are] today"?
 
Bob, stats can be found for a number.  That is why three are reputable
references such as the German Monographs, and the _PDR for Herbal
Medicines_ and the Varro Tyler references.  I don't have the first,
but can tell you that you would love the _PDR for Herbal Medicines_ and
the _PDR for Supplements_ and likely would enjoy at least two of Varro
Tyler's books which I have and which are very balanced and well
referenced.  ALL of these are by reputable experts in standard med who
have researched multiple herbs and/or called upon the research of others
and all give extensive bibliographies and stats for various herbal
approaches.  I expect that some or most or these will be in the medical
library at Mizzou.
 
They also all give both the ups and downs.  Some of the herbs have almost
no ups or only unproven uses that have not borne out in testing, or
blatantly carry warnings of dangers and warnings to avoid.  Some others
have no known risks listed.  Most of those they list which I have read
have both upsides (uses) and downsides (conflicts, counter-indications
and risks).
 
For those which have research behind them: the compounds having uses,
unproven uses, conflicts, counter-indications, and risks is like ANY med:
herbal, alternative, standard prescription, over-the-counter.
 
Of course, there is the problem that the doses levels may vary in herbs
but a lot of things can vary dose amounts in standard meds, too, though
the degree may differ, depending on circumstance.  I had trouble with a
generic variant of a hormonal med I had.  (I had a breast thickening that
went away with return to the non-generic, and it was postulated by the
physicians and pharmacist that this was perhaps due to bad dose control
in that particular generic standard med.)  If a person has a GI upset
that digestive woe can alter the amount of a drug absorbed.  Other meds
can alter the amount absorbed or the actions of that amount.  Some foods
(for example grapefruit juice for some meds) alter how much of an effect
of certain drugs will take place.  There is a sub-branch of dietary
physiology studying how some foods may accidently enhance or reduce the
effects of certain drugs.  Obviously, there are things that can alter
how much of a an effect a standard med has, too, and the degree is not
always easy to determine in multiple situations for each approach.
 
So much of the investigation of phyochemicals and their interactions is
just so new.  For example, how many women would have realized a decade
ago -- or even 5 years ago -- that strong and persistent cravings for
cherries, soy, or other foods high in phytoestrogens can be a sign that
the body's production of its own estrogens has begun to slow down?  (BTW,
quick note here: the intensity of menopause varies widely among women
based upon many factors like rapidity, surgery, genetics, etc., and the
troublesome HRT which posed risks were two different things: levels of
estrogen replacement at 4 mg or above for an extended period in one case,
and in the other it was a combination estrogen in Premarin pill form
combined with progestin so those two specific risk modes can NOT be
generalized to other HRT approaches, though it must be noted that most of
the HYPOTHESIZED promises of HRT that were made a decade ago have not
turned out to be true even though it is danged good for the ones that did
work out.)  (Oh, one more quick note: the estrogens and the androgens are
very close chemically and the body can convert them to each other so
don't think that the hormonal array of males and female is a situation of
opposites.  The bodies of both genders use both endrogens and estrogens,
with more uses known for estrogens so far, and the gonads are not the
sole producers of such hormones -- see adrenal glands, fat, etc.)
 
The herbs in the refs I mentioned are, of course, treatments for
humans -- not ferrets -- but that hurtle has been encountered multiple
times when vets have tried using standard meds on ferrets, too, till
enough is known.
 
We almost always go with standard meds -- but with our vets' blessings
or sometimes our vets' suggestions (due to good past research and
experience) we have also used some herbal approaches.  That is of course,
what it all boils down to: ***no med is a substitute for vet care and all
such approaches must be cleared with vets beforehand***.  Also, all such
approaches need to be researched for upsides AND downsides.
 
I wish that all herbal preparations (not all of which sold in stores have
turned out to be what they claim to be -- for instance one preparation
recently tested by researchers had none of what it said was the major
ingredient but did have a chemotherapy drug in it) were MONITORED like
non-herbals are for ingredients, strength, and came complete with package
inserts of both warnings and uses the same as standard meds.  There are
many countries where they do.
[Posted in FML issue 3933]