Herbal Medicine: Echinacea and Kava Essay

The implement of herb tea medicament and remedies as opposed to traditional prescription medications is becoming increasingly popular among doctors, therapists, and patients. M both herbs, whether administered in the change of tea, capsules, or simply eaten, consume been be to ease various pains and ailments and when taken on a daily basis, on that point argon herbs that tending take for overall health and wellbeing (Meuninck, 2008, p. 4).Studies stomach shown that 2 herbs in particular, genus genus Echinacea and kava, have been resultantive in treating a series of symptoms including care and opinion, headaches, and fibromyalgia (Mindell & Hopkins, 2009, p. 219). The use of these herbs benefits doctors and patients alike, as they offer an alternative discourse to symptoms that umteen citizenry experience on a regular basis. Echinacea goat be commonly found in beauty products, diet supplements, and herbal teas. Due to its tycoon to balance and maintain the immune sy stem, some people take Echinacea in one arrive at or another(prenominal) e truly day (Watson & Preedy, 2008, p.687).This herb, in fact, is among the most popular and widely used dietary supplements in the United States, with people fetching Echinacea or a type of derivative from the plant. harmonize to the Southern Medical Journal, Echinacea today is used mostly to treat and prevent upper respiratory tract infection, or URI, which includes the influenza and the common coldillnesses that account for 40% of the time that Americans lose from operate on and 30% of the time they call in sick from school (Islam & Carter, 2005, p.311).It is evident that this particular herb can be used for the handling of a specific temporary ailment as well as in a preventative manner. As soon as a person feels as if they have a cold coming on, they are advised to begin winning the herb orally in order to combat the spread and onset of the cold or flu virus. Echinacea has scientifically been proven to possess many anti-inflammatory correctties, which explains its effectiveness at struggle respiratory problems (Zili et al. , 2007, p. 232).This herb, however, is not only skillful in terms of warding off common cold symptoms. It has overly been able to ease pain and soreness associated with other diseases as well. First, it is crucial to understand that Echinacea can be an extremely powerful herb that may be used to fight different forms of bacterium, which is why it is used so often when a person has a cold or flu virus. A Canadian study observed sestet Echinacea extracts that are currently sold commercially, and the effect that those extracts had on 15 human pathogenic bacteria as well as two pathogenic fungi.Five bacteria were especially sensitive to the Echinacea extractsStreptococcus pyogenes, Legionella pneumophila, Haemophilus influenzae, Propionibacterium acne, and Clostridium difficilewhich indicated that the herb did have a significant effect in fighting certain f orms of bacteria, such as that which causes strep throat (Sharma et al. , 2008, p. 111). Many factors were taken into consideration, such as the effect of light on the bacteria and fungi, as well as the forms and preparations of the different extracts and this greatly reduced any assumptions made.This study was quite thorough, although it was limited by the number of extracts, bacteria, and fungi that they were able to test. With the samples they did test, however, they were able to conclude that certain preparations of Echinacea could provide useful protection or symptom alleviation in cases of pharyngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, and various dermal lesions, including acne vulgaris, and wound infections (Sharma et al. , 2008, p. 115).Another study outlined in the Journal of Womens Health also conducted a survey to determine how many women with fibromyalgia turned to herbal treatment as opposed to other forms of medicine. The assumptions were that women were taking herbs because the y worked, and not because they were left with no other alternativethat is, fibromyalgia is quite complicated and there are very few medications that can alleviate the pain. The test subjects therefore could have been turning to herbs like Echinacea as a last resort as opposed to taking the herb because it actually helped with their discomfort.Additionally, the limitations of this study are that the group of subjects was not randomly selected, and the results were entirely self-reported. At the stop of the study, it was concluded that women with Fibromyalgia were likely to take herbal supplements and use herbal remedies in order to treat the several symptoms associated with their condition (Shaver et al. , 2009, p. 716). This shows Echinaceas pertinency to a wide range of illnesses and symptoms, and how it can be used by naturopaths and other doctors in the treatment of their patients as opposed to over-the-counter medications.Unlike Echinacea, kava is an herb that has received mix ed reviews in terms of the safety of its use. Kava is an anxiolytic drug that has been used for hundreds of years by people in the peaceful Islands, yet it is currently banned in the United Kingdom (Ernst, 2007, p. 415). When used in large quantities, it has been shown to have toxic effect on ones liver but when administered in safe doses, there are many people who swear by its healing benefits. The peaceful Islanders have been known to use kava as a sedative, a hypnotic, and aphrodisiac, an antiseptic, and a diuretic.Kava has also been popular in Germany, where people use various kava products for the treatment of anxiety, restlessness, and abdominal discomfort (Richardson & Henderson, 2007, p. 418). One of the greatest benefits of kava use, however, is for the treatment of anxiety and depressionespecially since those disorders, while mental, can result in serious physical symptoms. An Australian study sought to determine the mental effects of kava by studying a random group of 2 8 adults suffering from major depressive disorder and anxiety.Assumptions included the test group not taking additional anti-depressants on the side, and that the small dose of kava would be enough to take effect. This study was also limited by the mix of kava with St. Johns Wort (Sarris et al. , 2009, p. 41). Rather than it being administered in a pure form, it was more of an herbal cocktail. Both, a placebo and a kava supplement were administered for four weeks each. At the end of the study, the majority of those in the study group reported having a reduced feeling of depression afterward taking the kava rather than the placebo.Although they did not report their quality of life or level of anxiety as being significantly improved, it is clear that their overall state of depression was affected by the kava. regardless of the fact that some professionals believe kava to be sober and toxic, its long history in Pacific Island culture far outweighs its risks (Sarris & Kavanagh, 2009, p. 828). Kava has been one of the ways in which many islanders have been able to maintain mental and emotional balance and fight depression without the use of anti-depressants, which are typically linked to dangerous side effects.Consider some of the physical symptoms of depression and anxietymigraines, muscle tension, and widespread aches and pains. With kavas abilities to aid in ones state of depression, people can benefit from the plants positive effects on pain in general. So long as it is administered in proper doses, as they do in the Pacific Islands, kava provides people with another option to treat depression and any other symptoms that may be caused by tension or emotional imbalance.Although herbs alone cannot reanimate all forms of disease or discomfort, these studies illustrates how Echinacea and kava both possess health benefits that may help with several symptoms and disorders. Herbs such as kava may be disputed for their levels of potential toxicity, but many prescri ptions pills can prove to be just as dangerous or even more so. irrespective of whether Echinacea or kava can necessarily cure a certain illness, they provide patients and doctors with another optiona natural approach to relieving pain or sickness, as opposed to over-the-counter medications.