The National Center for Complimentary and Alternative Medicine has provided some basic information about specific herbs or botanicals—common names, uses, potential side effects, and resources. You can download a copy of their booklet or select which herb you want to learn more about.
According to a lecture from Dr.Ellen Hughes at UCSF, the top herbs consumed in 2005 were
- Acai
- Aloe Vera
- Asian Ginseng
- Astragalus
- Bilberry
- Bitter Orange
- Black Cohosh
- Butterbur
- Cat's Claw
- Chamomile
- Chasteberry
- Cinnamon
- Cranberry
- Dandelion
- Echinacea
- Ephedra
- European Elder
- European Mistletoe
- Evening Primrose Oil
- Fenugeek
- Feverfew
- Flaxseed
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Ginkgo
- Goldenseal
- Grape Seed Extract
- Green Tea
- Hawthorn
- Hoodia
- Horse Chestnut
- Kava
- Lavender
- Licorish Root
- Milk Thistle
- Noni
- Peppermint Oil
- Red Clover
- Sage
- Saw Palmetto
- Soy
- St. John's Wort
- Tea Tree Oil
- Thunder God Vine
- Turmeric
- Valerian
- Yohimbe
According to a lecture from Dr.Ellen Hughes at UCSF, the top herbs consumed in 2005 were
- Garlic- for high cholesterol (which has small proven benefits)
- Echinacea - for colds (which has small proven benefits)
- Saw palmetto - for enlarged prostate (which has Inconclusive evidence)
- Ginkgo - for dementia (which has small proven benefits)
- Soy - for high cholesterol (which has small proven benefits)
- Cranberry - for preventing urinary infections (but has inconclusive for treating urinary infections)
- Ginseng - for physical performance (but has not been proven to be effective)
- Black cohosh - for hot flashes - ( which has inconclusive evidence)
- St. John's Wort - to benefit those people with mild to moderate depression (which has had proven benefits)
