Herbal Myths & Misinformation
by Ed Smith (July 2005)

Over the years, a number of herbal myths and misunderstandings have been propagated that grossly misrepresent how certain herbs should be used. Such myths seem to be started either by simply misunderstanding traditional use, by poor translation or misapplication of scientific research, or by blatant misinformation and marketing spin by the herb industry. There are many examples we could discuss. However, in this article, I’ll start by looking at a handful of the myths that, in particular, get under my skin.

Echinacea and Auto-immunity
Is Echinacea contraindicated in autoimmune disease? Well, in terms of its history, folk use, traditional use by medical doctors in the early part of the twentieth century, or even the modern scientific literature on Echinacea, nothing indicates that this myth is true.

The thinking goes, if you have an autoimmune disease (i.e., your immune system is attacking your body’s own tissue), you don’t want to take Echinacea because Echinacea is an immune stimulant (although, scientifically Echinacea is referred to as an immuno-modulator). While this myth may sound logical, it is what I call ‘blackboard science’.

In the 1920s, there were 22,000 licensed medical doctors who practiced as Eclectic physicians. These doctors used Echinacea to successfully treat conditions like rheumatism, arthritis, and eczema – conditions we now refer to as autoimmune diseases. Echinacea was one of the biggest selling drugs (herbal or other-wise) in the United States from the 1890s to the 1930s, and nowhere did they report that Echinacea should not be used with these autoimmune diseases.

Another herbal myth is that as you take Echinacea for longer and longer periods of time,
its immuno-modulating benefits decrease more and more. Again, in terms of its historical use, clinical trials, or even animal studies, no evidence exists whatsoever to suggest that the longer you use Echinacea, the less effective it becomes. Actually, there is evidence to support the opposite being true.

Fresh vs. Dry
Are extracts made from fresh, undried herbs more potent than extracts made from dried herbs? The answer is yes or no, depending upon the specific herb. Some people think the fresh herb is always superior. Well, that’s seafood—not herbs. Actually, some herbs can be toxic when used fresh. For instance, you would never want to use an anthraquinone laxative herb, like Cascara or Buckthorn, fresh, because they can be very irritating to the intestinal tract. Herbs containing anthraquinones must be dried and aged for at least one year to modify the anthraquinones and thereby diminish their irritating properties.

Now, some herbs definitely need to be used fresh. If a midwife is using Shepherd’s Purse to stop postpartum hemorrhaging, it better be fresh. It’s best to get the plant right out of the field and use it. But, where do you get fresh Shepherd’s Purse in January when there is snow on the ground and the plants are all dead? Well, if you’ve got a good fresh plant extract where you have preserved the fresh herb with alcohol, then you can have a very effective product.

So, my point here is that some herbs are better used fresh, some herbs are better used dry, and some it doesn’t matter. It really depends upon the herb itself and its unique chemistry.

Wild Yam and Progesterone
Wild Yam contains no progesterone! However, many people will tell you that even though Wild Yam does not contain progesterone, your body can convert it into progesterone. This is definitely not true. Some plants, like Yucca, Sarsaparilla, and Wild Yam, do contain large amounts of the compound diosgenin, a progesterone-like compound. Through a sophisticated pharmaceutical manufacturing process, diosgenin can be converted into progest-erone. However, that process cannot take place in the human body. If anyone tells you dif-ferently, challenge them to show you the evidence.

Another myth is that Mexican Wild Yam is the only species that has medicinal value.

This myth came about because the early manufacturing of progesterone from Wild Yam’s diosgenin took place in Mexico. Had the manufacturing of progesterone taken place in Malaysia, everyone would want Malaysian Wild Yam. Today, Wild Yam is seldom used in the manufacturing of progesterone, and instead, progesterone is mostly made from Soybeans.

Finally, I find it rather humorous when I see products that are labeled Mexican Wild Yam and have the Latin name as Dioscorea villosa, which is actually a North American yam that does not grow in Mexico. Mexican Wild Yam can be Dioscorea rotundifolia, D. mexicana, and a few other species.