The National Institutes of Health has announced the funding of five new research centers to further study the safety, effectiveness, and biological action of botanical products.
Promoting the responsible trade in herbal products and improving the service to consumers are the twin goals behind new guidance policies on microorganisms and mycotoxins and heavy metals from the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA).
A consumer health bulletin sent out this month by the Mayo Clinic warns Americans of possible health risks related to the use of herbal dietary supplements.
A new resource on botanical extracts aims to provide guidance to industry on how to ensure the identity and efficacy of raw materials used in dietary supplements.
The American Botanical Council is optimistic about herbs’ potential to withstand recession pressures – and some ingredient and finished product suppliers are reporting a record Q1.
Botanicals manufacturer Bio-Health is proving smaller companies can
cut it in the thrust and tumble of life under the Traditional
Herbal Medicinal Products Directive (THMPD), by having a valerian
product registered in the UK.
Finnish pharma player Actavis has launched three ranges of VMS and
herbal products in Bulgaria with more planned as the company
attempts to meet revenue growth targets of 20 per cent by 2010.
The American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP) has released its newest
monograph, on feverfew aerial parts, in an effort to promote
botanical purity for the herbal products industry.
With the cold season well and truly upon us, it seems that Brits
are turning to herbal remedies in a bid to stave off the sniffles.
Both Boots and the National Association of Healthfood Stores this
week reported an increase in sales...
The only way to convince European governments on the safety and
efficacy of kava kava and to restore the industry in the South
Pacific is to conduct clinical studies and look further into the
mechanism, says expert on herbal safety...
The herb kava kava is to remain banned in both medicinal and food
products in the UK, following a review of the latest scientific
evidence weighing its reputed benefits for alleviating anxiety and
inducing sleep against the risk of...
The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has initiated its
fifth survey in order to quantify annual harvests of selected North
American herbs used as ingredients in herbal products.
The American Herbal Products Association has filed new comments
with the FDA over its new dietary ingredients (NDI) program,
drawing attention to possible differences in composition between
unprocessed herbs and those that have been...
Irradiated herbal supplements, not permitted in the EU, are still
being sold in Ireland, says the country's food safety authority,
despite attempts to increase compliance last year.
NSF International and the American Herbal Pharmacopoeia (AHP) have
formed a strategic partnership to boost public confidence in
botanicals and encourage more companies to use them in their
products, reports Jess Halliday.
Ayurceutics has responded to yesterday's article in JAMA claiming
there was a high risk of finding heavy metals in Ayurvedic herbals,
by highlighting its manufacturing process that it believes removes
any danger of contamination.
The standards of quality control on herbal supplements will need to
be tightened if the US public are to have any confidence in their
health claims. That was the main talking point of a symposium as
experts gathered for three days...
Canada's medicines body has released information on the adverse
reactions caused by herbal medicines, in a reminder to health
professionals and consumers of the procedure for reporting adverse
events under the new Natural Health...
Marketing firm SourceOne Global Partners is to distribute the HP
Ingredients line of raw materials in North America, including its
flagship product the herb LJ100 Tongkat Ali, said to enhance sexual
performance.
New Jersey-based Quality Botanical Ingredients has introduced an
ephedra alternative, said to mimic the thermogenic effects of the
controversial herbal.
Taking ephedra is 200 times more risky than taking many other
commonly used herbs combined, report US researchers who pitted the
reported side effects of the controversial weight-loss supplement
against those of herbs such as gingko...
The popularity of over-the-counter herbal remedies in the UK shows
no sign of relenting, but patients may not be aware of the
potential risks involved in taking the wrong kind of cure, warns
the UK's National Institute of Medical...
Canada's national health department last week issued a stop-sale
order on all products containing the herb kava after a safety
assessment concluded there is insufficient evidence to support
their safe use.
The UK's Medicines Control Agency (MCA) is to consider a proposed
ban on the sale of the herbal remedy kava kava following a review
of current scientific data on the product by the Committee on the
Safety of Medicines (CSM).
ConsumerLab.com, the independent tester of health and nutrition
products, has signed an agreement with HealthGate Data Corporation,
the publisher of The Natural Pharmacist, an electronic encyclopedia
and database of supplements and...
A range of dietary supplements sold in the UK have been irradiated
in breach of food regulations, found a survey by the UK Food
Standards Agency. As a consequence companies with affected products
have been told to remove them from...
People suffering from the disabling disease multiple sclerosis (MS)
could help slow the rate of cognitive decline by taking the popular
herbal supplement Ginkgo biloba, according to research published
last week.
PC SPES, the popular herbal supplement which was withdrawn from
sale earlier this year after it was found to contain traces of
blood thinner wafarin, also contained an oestrogen drug and a
painkiller, according to new research.
Several popular herbal medicines have been found to have
significant oestrogenic effects, despite the fact that they are not
commonly used to treat gynaecological problems.
From bottled herb drinks to brews to spice up your sex life, Asian
traditional medicine companies are telling visitors to a Singapore
food expo they have just the tonic.
The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has been quick to
react to the announcement earlier this week by the FDA that
consumers should be wary of using the herbal supplement kava kava
because of possible liver damage. The...
The popular herbal remedy St. John's wort has led to at least two
unwanted pregnancies in Sweden because of its ability to override
the effects of the pill.
This month sees the launch of the first International Symposium on
the Role of Botanicals in Women's Health, where the latest
scientific data demonstrating how botanical medicines can play a
critical role in maintaining women's...
In Part One of this article Henry Miller and David Longtin look
at the overall regulation of dietary supplements across the Western
world and highlight the many shortfalls.
