PHAR 100 - MODULE 05 SECTION 02
1950s heralded the era of... - ans✔The purified natural product
Allopathic medicine - ans✔Drugs used by mainstream medicine. They have a drug
identification number from Health Canada and have undergone full testing for safety
and efficacy
Herbal medicine - ans✔Plant products being sold to treat a condition and do not have a
DIN. They are often unpurified and lack phase 3 clinical trial data.
Phytopharmaceuticals - ans✔Drugs obtained from plants which are purified and used at
therapeutic doses with scientific evidence of efficacy and documented toxicity
Allopathic phytopharmaceuticals - ans✔Drugs obtained and purified from plants that
meet all the requirements of a drug (full safety and efficacy evaluation, DIN) and
therefore have full status as a drug.
Main problems associated with herbals - ans✔- Lack of randomized controlled trials
evaluating efficacy and safety
- Have to carefully interpret the literature, as literature aimed at the general public often
overstates the efficacy of herbal preparations
Additional problems associated with herbals - ans✔- Lack of standardization across
similar products
- Intentional adulteration (addition of substances other than the herbal to increase
weight and/or effectiveness, but market the drug as a purified substance)
- Differing global standards
- Drug interactions with allopathic medicines
What is St.John's wort used for? - ans✔Mild to moderate depression and to heal
wounds
St. John's Wort active ingredients...do they actually work? - ans✔Hypericin and
hyperforin, which have true antidepressant activity
Toxicities associated with the use of St. John's Wort - ans✔- Confusion, agitation,
shivering, fever, sweating, diarrhea, muscle spasms, and tremor
- Phototoxicity
1950s heralded the era of... - ans✔The purified natural product
Allopathic medicine - ans✔Drugs used by mainstream medicine. They have a drug
identification number from Health Canada and have undergone full testing for safety
and efficacy
Herbal medicine - ans✔Plant products being sold to treat a condition and do not have a
DIN. They are often unpurified and lack phase 3 clinical trial data.
Phytopharmaceuticals - ans✔Drugs obtained from plants which are purified and used at
therapeutic doses with scientific evidence of efficacy and documented toxicity
Allopathic phytopharmaceuticals - ans✔Drugs obtained and purified from plants that
meet all the requirements of a drug (full safety and efficacy evaluation, DIN) and
therefore have full status as a drug.
Main problems associated with herbals - ans✔- Lack of randomized controlled trials
evaluating efficacy and safety
- Have to carefully interpret the literature, as literature aimed at the general public often
overstates the efficacy of herbal preparations
Additional problems associated with herbals - ans✔- Lack of standardization across
similar products
- Intentional adulteration (addition of substances other than the herbal to increase
weight and/or effectiveness, but market the drug as a purified substance)
- Differing global standards
- Drug interactions with allopathic medicines
What is St.John's wort used for? - ans✔Mild to moderate depression and to heal
wounds
St. John's Wort active ingredients...do they actually work? - ans✔Hypericin and
hyperforin, which have true antidepressant activity
Toxicities associated with the use of St. John's Wort - ans✔- Confusion, agitation,
shivering, fever, sweating, diarrhea, muscle spasms, and tremor
- Phototoxicity
