WHAT IS AN HERBAL DRUG?

WHAT IS AN HERBAL DRUG?

Herbal drugs are simply drugs from plant matter. Many of the drugs discussed in this book fall under that large umbrella. Many of the most common intoxicants are ultimately derived from plant products. Nico­tine comes from tobacco plants, and many forms of alcohol are pre­pared by the fermentation of yeast in the presence of grain products. Most of the hallucinogens, ranging from psilocybin mushrooms to bel­ladonna alkaloids, could be described as herbal drugs, along with many natural stimulants, including caffeine, ephedrine, and cocaine. There are also herbal sedatives—hypnotics such as kava—that act very much like alcohol.

Herbal drugs are touted as safe and effective because they are "natural," or a "normal constituent of the body." This drug classification is an effec­tive marketing device: the current market in herbal drugs in this country amounts to millions of dollars. Because most of these preparations are sold as nutritional supplements rather than as drugs, they are not subject to FDA requirements. Therefore, neither their safety nor their effective­ness has been established in controlled scientific studies. This doesn't mean that none of the drugs are effective; some certainly are. Further­more, we should never discount the placebo effect: the promise of a rem­edy can have a powerful healing effect. And remember—herbal drugs are still drugs, because if they are effective, they change how your body works. That means when you visit the doctor, you should be sure to tell her about any supplements you are using. As you will see in this chapter, they can interfere with the effects of medications you may be prescribed.

This chapter will discuss a subset of these drugs that are widely used to change mental status—either to optimize function or treat mental illness. This subject could be the topic of an entire book, so we have focused on the most common ingredients in the many supplements that are out there. It is important to bear in mind that these drugs are most often components of complex mixtures, and it is very difficult to know how much (or whether) a particular component contributes to the desired effect. A quick survey of energy supplements available online showed ingredient numbers ranging from three to more than fifty