Re: Kava Kava
From: =?iso-8859-2?q?Zalányi Sámuel ?= (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Tue, 22 Jan 2002 20:10:36 +0100
Dear Renee,
You are spreading information somewhat liberally...
Although I agree with your reasoning on herbs and natural remedies, TAMOXIFEN is a purely synthetic drug (close relative of clomifen, the fertility drug). You maybe mistaking Tamoxifen for Taxol, which really is produced from the skin of the Western Taxus tree.
For you info
Sam
> Barbara,
>
> Thank you for the reminder that herbs are not all created equal. As you
> said,
> the concentrations aren't the same. They don't even match their labels much
> of
> the time.
>
> I'm glad to see that research is starting to be done on some herbs. This is
> important so that we can see what does and doesn't work. I do believe that
> some herbs have a place on our shelves, and others do not. Many of our
> common
> modern meds have plant bases (eg: tamoxifen, digitalis, etc.). And, some
> herbs are getting positive research coming out now (eg: saw palmetto for
> prostate cancer, Venistat--oak bark?--for leg venous health).
>
> However, there is a misconception by many that if it's natural then it's
> safe.
> There are two problems with this argument:
>
> 1) If it does work, then there could be drug interactions, just as much as
> if
> it were any other drug. We just don't know that much about it yet in order
> to
> avoid it.
>
> 2) There are many deadly "natural" products: death angel mushrooms, poison
> dart frogs, many berries, etc.
>
> My hope is that the research continues and we are able to use herbs as
> safely
> and effectively as we use other medications.
>
> Renee
> --
> Renee Cordrey, MSPT, MPH, CWS
> ---
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