HERB - ephedra

[khkeeler]

Christine A Seelye-King wrote:
>  Just what do you mean by balancing chemicals?
> What is the difference between consuming the plant as a whole compared
> with consuming extracts? Thanks.
> >Genevieve de Courtanvaux
 
> The theory is, and I tend to go along with it, is that science can
> isolate an 'active ingredient', say the hypericum in St. John's Wort, and
> determine that this element is the cause of the plants effectiveness.
> Then, an extract of the plant is made.  By removing the active ingredient
> of the plant, you may be overlooking other characteristics of the plant
> that work together with the active ingredients, creating a synergistic
> relationship that causes the whole to work better than the individual
> parts. <example snipped>
> Mistress Christianna MacGrain, OP, Meridies

The history of modern pharmacy has been to define, extract and
synthesize the active ingredients in plants (and animals etc.).  The
reasons include predictable dosage, increasing available supply and
simplifying side effects, and just understanding the structure and why
it works.  While in some cases the whole plant is beneficial, in other
cases its detrimental.  For example, if you are allergic to composites
(e.g. ragweed), you should be very wary of chamomile tea (and any other
member of that plant family).  But the active ingredient in chamomile is
not what causes allergy:  you could get the medical benefits of a (pure)
extract safely. 

You can make sense of this by considering what the function of the
chemicals is to the plant.  Some chemicals defend against disease
(bacteria, viruses, fungi): those ought to work in humans as well--and
do.  Some are to defend against being eaten by insects, birds and
mammals:  some of those compounds are very bad in/on humans.
Any particular plant that lives to make seeds is likely to have
effective defenses against all its enemies, (tho they need not be
chemical defenses:  spines work well against mammals).  So the leaf --
or any other tissue -- is a complex mix of protective devices, and
should be treated with great respect.

Agnes deLanvallei
Mag Mor, Calontir

PS. It is hard to know where the listservs fit:  Is this in the SCA or
are we modern hobbyists talking about our hobby?  At SCA events I'm
Mistress Agnes, laurel for herbalism.  
I'm torn: I don't mean to be a stealth peer (causing embarrassment for
using the wrong title, for example) but I also don't want to suggest
with the title that I know the
answers -- this is a hobby and we are all in it for the joys playing
bring.  

	With my Laurel came a commitment to nurture the study of plants in the
Middle Ages and the recreation of that in the SCA.  This list gives me
great joy:  so much information about plants is being shared!   My view
is:  laurels as resources, not as authorities. 
I need to develop a sig. line that says that but the phrasing is
difficult.

PPS. In the modern world I'm a Professor of Biological Sciences--I gave
a week of lectures on the above topic (plant secondary chemistry) this
semester.  And, as an academic, I'd naturally tell you that I know very
little about plant chemistry.  Same story as Laurels: professors are
always looking to learn more.  (And will bore you with their obscure
enthusiasms!)  :-)
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