Herbal remedies contain plant derived active ingredients, either as raw or processed, which maybe from one or more plants and parts such as leaves, flowers or roots. These medicines are generally called by their botanical names e.g. Aloe Vera, Senna, Milk thistle, etc.

Herbal remedies are becoming increasingly popular due to their natural origin and the common belief that because they are natural, they cannot be harmful or have any side effects. However, just like conventional medicines, herbal remedies can have a profound effect on the body, cause side-effects, interact with other medicines and therefore we should use these products with similar level of caution and seek advice from pharmacists when unsure.

Herbal remedies are gaining more popularity in the UK and are particularly popular in the mainland Europe specially in Germany, France, Netherlands and Scandinavia.

Herbal preparations available for sale in the UK/EU/EEA must either have a full medicinal licence requiring evidence of their quality, safety and effectiveness, just like conventional medicines; or they should have a Traditional Herbal Registration (THR licence) which only requires evidence of quality and safety and is only evidence of traditional use but not effectiveness. Herbal products with a THR licence are only approved for minor health conditions where medical supervision is not required.  Details of such registrations are evident on the packaging and on the products’ information leaflets.

There are established herbal remedies which have been used for centuries, yet we do not understand how they work. Despite these, such herbal medicines can still get approval for sale so we can take advantage of their desired benefits.

As natural compounds are generally very complex and may contain thousands of chemical components, it is not always possible to find out which specific chemical(s) component(s) may be responsible for the effectiveness of the herbal product..

We need to bear in mind the history of conventional medicines and how they evolved from such herbal products with advances in science and technology that meant we could extract such active ingredients from plants and study their benefits (uses), potency (dosages), risks (side-effects) and best use them for the benefit of mankind.

My Private Pharmacist offer a variety of herbal remedies for various conditions suitable for those who prefer a more natural approach but with the safety net provided by science.