Hi, everyone!!
I'm Rosary from Taiwan and I'm a member in Pharmacy Education committee!
I want to share and discuss about the herbal supplements with you. ☺
Many people take herbal supplements as a dietary supplement.
Herbal supplements have actually been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years.
In China, Taiwan or other east-Asian countries, Chinese medicine or traditional Asian medicine is a popular medical source. Many people take herbal supplements because they think herbs are healthier and have fewer side effects; however, all herbs — including products labeled as "natural" — can have medication-like effects.
Anything strong enough to produce a positive effect, such as lowered cholesterol or improved mood, is also strong enough to carry risk.
Therefore, it's important to investigate potential benefits and side effects of herbal supplements before you buy or take. Also, be sure to talk with your doctor, especially if you take medications, have chronic health problems, or are pregnant or breast-feeding.
Besides being a supplement, herbs can also be medicine. For example, artemisinin has been used in Tradition Chinese medicine for 2 thousand years but it is also an anti-malaria drug. Paclitaxel, vincristine, and vinblastine are also substances derived from natural plants that can be used to treat cancer. There are far more substances in plants that we don’t know their effects in human yet. Therefore, we must not ignore their importance.
What other herbal medicine do you know? Please share with everyone!
😁

This is a picture of many different kinds of Chinese medicine.