Herbal Help for Constipation

When the makers of Ex-Lax announced the arrival of a “new” formulation of the product a few years ago, herbal remedies took front-runner status in the treatment of common constipation. Of course, it wasn’t exactly a hard-to-win competition. The main ingredient of Ex-Lax, phenolphthalein, was taken off the market by the FDA, leaving little choice but to change the formulation. Senna, an herbal stimulant laxative became the “new” Ex-Lax ingredient so that today it has become one of the leading remedies for constipation relief.
There are actually several herbal choices for the treatment of constipation. For the most part they can be divided into two categories: stimulant laxatives and bulk laxatives. Stimulant laxatives act by forcing contractions of the smooth muscle of the colon and by drawing water from the body into the interior of the colon, allowing for looser stools. Bulk laxatives, on the other hand, are products which expand inside the colon when mixed with water. Once expanded, they trigger the colon’s natural contractions which attempt to expel the bulky substance. (The trick to bulk laxatives is that you have to drink a lot of water with the laxative product or it won’t work.)

Herbal stimulant laxatives include senna, cascara, castor oil, buckthorn and dried aloe juice. Senna is the most readily available of these due to its popularity as an ingredient in brand-name products such as Sennakot and Ex-Lax. The active components of senna are called anthraquinones. All stimulant laxatives contain anthraquinone-like ingredients which give the herbs their cathartic effect.

Stimulant laxatives, whether herbal or not, all carry basically the same risks. When used daily for more than 1-2 weeks they can lead to “laxative-dependency syndrome”. This means that the muscles of the colon become lazy and don’t contract very well unless you take more of the laxative. Rebound constipation can result from stopping the product after prolonged use.

Bulk laxatives, on the other hand, rely on the colon’s normal muscle contractions and don’t generally lead to dependency. Herbal bulk laxatives include flaxseed, psyllium and apple pectin. The first two of these are actually seeds and seed parts which swell with the addition of water to form a bulky mass inside the colon. Apple pectin does the same thing except that it’s made from apple peels and not seeds. The main risk in using bulk laxatives is that of obstruction of the bowels which can occur when the product/water mixture can’t get through. Again, the drinking of water with bulk laxatives is essential-without it, the laxative can become like a hard rock inside the colon. As you may imagine, rocks in the colon aren’t easy to pass.

Herbal extract found to increase lifespan

The herbal extract of a yellow-flowered mountain plant indigenous to the Arctic regions of Europe and Asia increased the lifespan of fruit fly populations, according to a University of California, Irvine study.

Flies that ate a diet rich with Rhodiola rosea, an herbal supplement long used for its purported stress-relief effects, lived on an average of 10 percent longer than fly groups that didn’t eat the herb. Study results appear in the online version of Rejuvenation Research.

“Although this study does not present clinical evidence that Rhodiola can extend human life, the finding that it does extend the lifespan of a model organism, combined with its known health benefits in humans, make this herb a promising candidate for further anti-aging research,” said Mahtab Jafari, a professor of pharmaceutical sciences and study leader. “Our results reveal that Rhodiola is worthy of continued study, and we are now investigating why this herb works to increase lifespan.”

In their study, the UC Irvine researchers fed adult fruit fly populations diets supplemented at different dose levels with four herbs known for their anti-aging properties. The herbs were mixed into a yeast paste, which adult flies ate for the duration of their lives. Three of the herbs – known by their Chinese names as Lu Duo Wei, Bu Zhong Yi Qi Tang and San Zhi Pian – had no effect on fruit fly longevity, while Rhodiola was found to significantly reduce mortality. On average, Rhodiola increased survival 3.5 days in males and 3.2 days in females.

Rhodiola rosea, also known as the golden root, grows in cold climates at high altitudes and has been used by Scandinavians and Russians for centuries for its anti-stress qualities. The herb is thought to have anti-oxidative properties and has been widely studied.

Soviet researchers have been studying Rhodiola since the 1940s on athletes and cosmonauts, finding that the herb boosts the body’s response to stress. And earlier this year, a Nordic Journal of Psychiatry study on people with mild-to-moderate depression showed that patients taking a Rhodiola extract called SHR-5 reported fewer symptoms of depression than did those who took a placebo.

Jafari said she is evaluating the molecular mechanism of Rhodiola by measuring its impact on energy metabolism, oxidative stress and anti-oxidant defenses in fruit flies. She is also beginning studies in mice and in mouse and human cell cultures. These latter studies should help understand the benefits of Rhodiola seen in human trials.

Jeffrey Felgner, Irvin Bussel, Anthony Hutchili, Behnood Khodayari, Michael Rose and Laurence Mueller of UC Irvine participated in the study. Sun Ten Inc. provided the herbs.

Benefits of Herbal Medicine

Herbal medicine can treat almost any condition that patients might take to their doctor. Common complaints seen by herbalists include skin problems such as psoriasis, acne and eczema, digestive disorders such as peptic ulcers, colitis, irritable bowel syndrome and indigestion.

Problems involving the heart and circulation like angina, high blood pressure, varicose veins, varicose ulcers etc. can also be treated successfully as can gynaecological disorders like premenstrual syndrome and menopausal problems, also conditions such as arthritis, insomnia, stress, migraine and headaches, tonsillitis, influenza and allergic responses like hay fever and asthma.

Qualified herbalists know when a condition is best seen by a doctor or another therapist.

Factors about Herbal Medicines

Herbal Medicine is a form of alternative medicine based on the use of plants in the form of herbal supplements, raw herbs, herbal extracts, herbal tinctures, and other herbal remedies such as tablets, ointments, and capsules. Herbal medicine use is on the rise. Many health enthusiasts are turning to this natural, plant-based form of medicine as opposed to the chemical, pharmaceutical choice. A natural form of medicine, herbal medicine is the most ancient form of medicine on the planet. Many modern day prescriptions and conventional medicines are based on a form of herbal medicine.

What Is Herbal Medicine?
Herbal medicine is the use of plants to treat disease. Oftentimes called herbalism, herbology, or botanical medicine, herbal medicine is considered ‘alternative’ in the modern day, though it has an extensive and esteemed history. Many herbalists use the entire plant, from the flowers, stems, leaves, and roots, in the form of everything from teas to tablets. These plants contain natural, chemical substances that can treat the body for various ailments.
The History of Herbal Medicine

Herbal Medicine dates back to prehistoric times. Primitive man used plants for everything from shelter and food, to clothing and medicine. Herbal medicine evolved over time, with observation and experimentation. Each village and tribe throughout the world observed and experimented with the natural plant world around them and developed a knowledge base of regional herbs and herbal medicines. Many of these primitive herbal experimentations hold true today, with many conventional medicines stemming from herbal origins. For instance, morphine originated from the use of the opium poppy herb, while Echinacea was the common herbal treatment to fight off infection prior to the creation of antibiotics.

Modern Day Herbal Medicine
While some people feel that herbal remedies are an ‘alternative’ form of holistic medicine, they are actually the bases of at least one-fourth of all conventional medicines. Today, many plants are synthesized for pharmaceutical use, stemming from ancient, healing traditions of herbal medicine. If you are seeking to find a more natural and gentle form of medicine, you may want to visit a local health food store or try to find a local herbalist. Tinctures, extracts, teas, lozenges, ointments, salves, rubs, tablets, and capsules, are available at most health food stores and can be wonderful, natural alternatives to conventional medicines.
If using herbal medicine it is recommended that you let you doctor know each and every herb that you ingest to prevent a reaction between the herbs and any allopathic medicines that you may be using.