ABSTRACT
Archeological evidence suggests that humans have been using herbal remedies for over 60 000 years. 1 Chinese herbal medicine itself has been used for over 2000 years and has recently integrated numerous plants from South East Asia, India, the Americas and the Middle East with native Chinese plants. 1,2 Herbal products are widely available, relatively inexpensive, and often make alluring but unsubstantiated claims. Herbal medicine appeals to consumers who believe that natural herbal products are preferable to synthetic pharmaceuticals. Exacerbating the problem, herbal remedies are often marketed on the Internet with misleading and unproven claims. Despite repeated warnings, consumers continue to equate ‘natural’ with safe.
