Re: Jan Bargers' comments on homeopathic(herbal) remedies.

        Jan is absolutely right.  There is a common misconception that
herbal remedies are safe.  The literature is absolutely full of references
to adult intoxications, fetal deaths,  teratogenicity, and other overt
toxicities to herbal products.   Everyone knows that plant products are the
source of many of our drugs,  digitalis glycosides,  quinine, many
antibiotics, anticholinergics,  hallucinogenics, etc, etc.   Another
misconception, is that they contain only minimal amounts of drugs.  One leaf
of the oleander plant can kill  a human(cardiac glycoside).

        We all support breastfeeding because we support the well-being of
the infant to the maximum,  by providing a safe and proven nutrition.

How then,  can we  support ingesting "Unknown"  plant substances,  who've
had little or  no scientific study,  and many we can't even identify(yerba
buena ?).

Remember when you were 5 years old, and your mom told you never to take a
medicine from another,  because you didn't know what was in it?

I think thats damn fine advice  !


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T.W. Hale, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Texas Tech University School of Medicine

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