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Herbal Remedies: When Natural is not Necessarily Best

Ginseng, garlic, gingko biloba. The market for 'alternative' herbal medicine is booming, with herbal remedies now stocking store shelves from Marks & Spencer to Wal-Mart. But as botanical cures hit the commercial mainstream, suspicions are growing about their real benefits. New analysis of the impacts of the exploitation of herbal and traditional medicines is finding that organic is not automatically ecologically or socially better, though people often assume it is. Herbal medicines are credited with helping to relieve a host of ailments from depression (Saint John's wort) to cancer (essiac tea) to lack of energy (ginseng). By providing a low-tech answer to pharmaceutical drugs, the market has benefited from an image of being more 'home-grown' and personal than the normal corporate fare. Not surprisingly, then, world sales of herbal remedies are increasing by more than 10% a year, according to a recent study from the UK consulting firm McAlpine, Thorpe and Warner. China and Indonesia are among the biggest suppliers, with sales of Chinese traditional medicines alone shooting up by 113% between 1990 and 1994. Commercial success, yes, but ecological success? The thriving trade is now being singled out for putting some plants in danger of over-exploitation and extinction. Already, the study says, eighteen species could be wiped out unless urgent action is taken. The endangered medicinal plants with the largest international markets include Chinese ginseng – with 8,000 tonnes traded a year – and gingko biloba from the maidenhair tree – with 3,000 tonnes traded. Chinese officials are finding it difficult to regulate their large, fragmented industry, which involves about 13,000 farmers and 1,500 firms. Of about 389 rare and endangered species in the country, 77 are normally used in Chinese traditional medicine. Of another 1,000 commonly used medicinal plants, about 800 are gathered directly from the wild, laying open the possibility for further over-exploitation in future years. The social impacts of traditional medicine can also be alarming, when the traditional medicinal knowledge of indigenous peoples is exploited without a fair sharing of commercial gains. Unfortunately, high-minded companies like San Francisco-based Shaman Pharmaceuticals or the pharmaceutical giant Merck in Costa Rica – which pride themselves on equitable dealings with tropical countries and traditional healers – are still the exception rather than the rule. The growing international demand for Chinese and other traditional medicines carries both opportunity and alarm. Low-tech and home-grown, these remedies provide cheap and effective medicine for a growing number of people. But the inter-linkages between medicinal treatment, trade and environmental impact cannot be ignored. The situation presents a major challenge for decision-makers in companies, governments and international bodies like the World Trade Organization: Can the trend toward increased international trade in herbal medicine grow to accommodate rising concerns about its ecological and social impact?