ABC’s of botanicals

Experts answer questions about the health affects of these natural supplements. by Susanne Kuehl, RDH

We interviewed several experts about botanicals, or drugs made from part of a plant, such as roots, leaves, bark, or berries. Their answers, below, offer readers an extra edge in their knowledge about health trends and how they may effect patients.

Expert No. 1: Anthony Young, General Counsel for the American Herbal Products Association

Q: There has been a lot of news lately on “natural” trends. We hear terms like botanicals, organics, neutracueticals and herbal supplements used interchangeably. How are they same and how are they different?

A:  Herbal supplements are a form of dietary supplements regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These products must meet specific labeling requirements and be manufactured in accordance with the FDA’s current Good Manufacturing Practices for dietary supplements. You can recognize most herbal supplements by the Supplement Facts panel on their label.

Nutraceuticals are not a special category of products in the Food and Drug Act. They are a more general category of product with a coined name that implies “pharmaceutical” benefit from nutrients or other natural ingredients in foods or dietary supplements. The category does not include drugs or cosmetics. This name is generally used in advertising and not on the labels of products.
Botanicals are simply plants. Botanical is the broad term that encompasses, trees, fruit trees, grains, flowers, plants and herbs. If it grows in the ground, it’s likely to be a botanical.

Organic is a claim category for products and it is regulated by the Department of Agriculture under the National Organic Standards Program. Products that are labeled as Organic, or made with organic ingredients, must meet specific standards set under that program, including standards for growing and handling. The categories of products that may bear organic claims are foods, dietary supplements and cosmetics.

Expert No. 2: Chantal Bergeron PhD, Pharmacognosist specializing in botanicals research

Q: When dental hygienists take a routine medical history, the patient often leaves out alternative medicines such as vitamins and supplements. What are the most common botanical therapies that professionals should be aware of?

A: According to the Nutrition Business Journal (2007), the nine most popular herbs are soy, cranberry, garlic, ginkgo, saw palmetto, echinacea, ginseng, black cohosh, and green tea. There is a great chance that a patient uses at least one of them. Some botanicals—such as garlic, gingko, and ginseng—may interact with coagulation factors and increase bleeding. Many other botanicals have demonstrated—according to a number of publications—a positive effect in the mouth, such as aloe, licorice, cranberry and green tea.

Expert No. 3: Stefan Gafner PhD, Pharmacist Director of Analytical Chemistry at Tom’s of Maine

Q: How botanicals are regulated is not common knowledge for most people. How do patients know what they are getting with over-the-counter botanicals?

A: Under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA), the dietary supplement manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that a dietary supplement is safe. FDA is responsible for taking action against any unsafe dietary supplement product after it reaches the market. Manufacturers must make sure that product label information is truthful and not misleading.

Nevertheless, there is a lot of confusion because of the plethora of similar products on the market, and a lack of faith by many consumers due to highly publicized reports on dietary supplement scams. Ideally, you would choose a product which has been included in a good clinical trial and has proven benefits. If there is no clinical data, my advice is to carefully read the labels (compare daily amounts of an ingredient, look for some indications on quality control), and go with a reputable brand known for high quality products.

Expert No. 4: Memory Elvin-Lewis, PhD, Professor of Biomedicine in Microbiology and Ethnobotany.

Q: What’s “hot” in the news right now, regarding botanicals and specifically, their oral care benefits?

A: Worldwide, the most popular botanicals for oral care usually translate into the most efficacious. In certain instances, clinical trials have been conducted to establish their therapeutic worth not only as they are used traditionally, but also how they may affect dental hygiene and plaque control when they are incorporated into modern dental formulations. One noteworthy example is Salvadora persica, referred to as the miswak or peelu, which has been used for millennia as a chewing-stick in East Africa, the Middle East and Western Asia. Its extracts have been incorporated into several dentifrice, mouthwash formulations, and breath mints developed in England, Switzerland, Egypt, and Iran, and its root chips into an American chewing-gum. A number of clinical trials indicate the worth of some of these dental compositions for plaque control and gingivitis as well as their ability to inhibit odontoperiopathic species. The future is bright for the use of this plant in appropriately formulated natural product dental compositions for the North American market.