The Herb Safety Page at Mid City Nursery

	THE HERB SAFETY PAGE

This section has been created to help you learn a little about the need to use caution when using some types of herbs, herbal medicines or remedies. While most herbs are relatively safe, it is important to be aware of some of the hazards that can be caused by using them unwisely. Below is information that was provided by the brochure, "Know Your Plants -- Safe or Poisonous?". It is available from the California Poison Control System. We welcome all Questions or Comments you may have.

Herbal medicines
Herbal medicine is the use of drugs found in plants for prevention and cure of disease. Some are safe but others may produce harmful side effects. FDA approval is not required for package or marketing claims. Unlike approved drugs, herbs are almost entirely unregulated for safety, uniformity of contents, and contamination.
Herbal remedies may have other unlabeled medicines or materials mixed in with them. Many herbal medicines are taken by drinking a tea. Avoid concentrating or over-steeping a tea remedy. Herbal extracts, tablets and powders are also used. The correct dose of herbal products is often hard to determine. When herbs are taken with a prescribed or over-the-counter drug, health problems may occur. It is wise to check with your doctor.
Because scientific studies have not been done on many herbs, pregnant women, breast feeding mothers, infants and young children should probably not use herbs. Older people with serious health conditions should also be careful about the use of herbs. An herbal treatment that does not work, even if it won't hurt you, could delay getting necessary medical treatment.
A "natural" product from a plant is not necessarily better than the same chemical produced in a laboratory. Some herbal products contain active ingredients that can produce unexpected side effects (for example, Saw palmetto contains estrogen, a female hormone).

Examples of potentially harmful plant remedies:

Herb	Potential Toxic Effect
Borage-Borago officinalis	Skin irritation
Calamus - Acorus calamus	Skin irritation, stomach upset, may cause cancer
Chaparral - Larrea indentata	Liver damage
Comfrey - Symphytum officinale	Liver damage
Ephedra (Ma-huang) - Ephedra sinica	Agitation, high blood pressure, rapid heart beat, convulsions
Germander - Teucrium chamaedrys	Liver damage
Life root - Senecio aureus	Liver damage
Pennyroyal - Mentha pulegium	Liver damage. Concentrated oil can cause convulsions, shock, and multi organ failure.
Sassafras - Sassafras albidum	Liver damage. Concentrated oil can cause hallucinations, trembling, shock, and possibly cancer.

Mid City Nursery, Inc
3635 Broadway
Napa-Vallejo Highway
American Canyon, CA 94503
(707) 642-4167