There are several poisonous herbs but they are not readily accessible in stores. Unlike pharmaceutical drugs, herbs are not fatal.
Controversies
Many herbs are banned as toxic or poisonous for political reasons. Some are banned because of one alleged poisonous alkaloid that is only poisonous when isolated and extracted from the entire plant. Remember, nature balances so when man extracts, he’s disturbing the natural balance and this is when it becomes harmful.
Poisonous herbs are not the same as controversial herbs, at least not in all cases. Many controversial herbs are not poisonous unless taken in excessive amounts. Controversial herbs are:
- Ephedra
- Comfrey
- Blood Root
- Sassafras and
- Kava Kava
Just because a substance is banned doesn’t mean it’s harmful and just because its approved and available doesn’t mean it’s safe. Consider pharmaceutical drugs. They are approved and available and yet hundreds of thousands of people are killed by pharmaceutical drugs every year.
Medical doctors tend to believe that herbs are harmful to human health and/or entirely useless.
Many people who study herbs from a Western medical perspective will also admonish against the use and consumption of certain herbs due to their alleged toxicity. This confuses a great deal of people and many people question the usage of certain herbs and their adverse side effects. Many people are confused about Goldenseal Root, Echinacea Root, Ephedra, Kava Kava, Mistletoe, ST. John’s Wort, Mandrake and Blood Root.
Studies
Herbalism and herbology are sciences that require rules, procedures and laws when using plants. The same is true of essential oils. All sciences require knowledge.
There are plants that can be ingested or take internally. There are others that should not be ingested and should only be used topically or externally. And then there are plants that you should totally avoid. However, these plants are only found in nature and cannot be found in stores.
Awareness
Knowledge is important when dealing with herbs because of their functions and properties. If a person is interested in herbalism, they should study the functions and properties of various herbs.
Oxytocic herbs are simply counterproductive or adverse to certain functions that may be applicable in a given situation or case with an individual person.
If a woman is breastfeeding, she would not want to consume Black Walnut Hulls or Sage because these herbs have an anti-galactagogue effect. Are these poisonous? No, just counterproductive or detrimental to a certain activity, function or outcome.
Taking an herb before bed that increases oxygen to the brain or that stimulates the brain would be counterproductive to sleep. The brain needs to slow down at night and not be stimulated. So it would not be wise to take Gingko Biloba, Gotu Kola, Green Tea, Guarana or Ginseng before going to bed.
On the other hand it would be wise to take an herb with a sedative or tranquilizing effect before bed. These include herbs such as Passionflower, Wild Lettuce, Kava Kava, Lavender Flower, Valerian Root or Chamomile. These herbs induce sound sleep and lucid and vivid dreaming.
If a person has high blood pressure, they would not want to take a cardio stimulant herb such as Yohimbe Bark because it would be counterproductive to the heart. Yohimbe would not be the problem, but would only exacerbate the problem. This must be understood. Many times Licorice Root and Yohimbe are misunderstood and are believed to increase high blood pressure. But in reality, these herbs do not impair a healthy heart.
Alkaloids
Some herbs have contra-indications and are said to be poisonous and contain poisonous alkaloids.
It is important to note that just because an herb contains a poisonous alkaloid doesn’t make the entire plant poisonous. However, there are plants and even trees in the rainforest and jungles that are entirely poisonous. If a tree is white or white-grayish, it’s poisonous.
On the other hand, a red-brownish tree is typically highly medicinal and therapeutic. The forest and jungle speak to us in many ways, including via the use of colors.
While some herbs may include or have a major alkaloid that is considered poisonous, the entire plant or tree should not be considered poisonous. A contra-indication does not make a plant poisonous.
Solutions
All Dherbs.com compounds are compounded with numerous other herbs so there’s never anything to worry about with our uniquely compounded formulas. The problems with certain herbs are based upon their individual use and the individual people.
Thank you for reading!
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
