- Acute Flaccid Myelitis
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Arteriovenous Malformations
- Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Back Pain
- Brain Aneurysm
- Brain Tumors
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Childhood Brain Tumors
- Delirium
- Dementia
- Hemorrhagic Stroke
- Ischemic Stroke
- Memory
- Meningitis
- Mild Cognitive Impairment
- Movement Disorders
- Multiple Sclerosis
- Neuroblastoma
- Neuromuscular Disorders
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Polio and Post-Polio Syndrome
- Speech and Language Problems in Children
- Stroke
- Transient Ischemic Attack
- Tremor
- Walking Problems
- West Nile Virus
- A1C
- Blood Glucose
- Diabetes
- Diabetes and Pregnancy
- Diabetes Complications
- Diabetes in Children and Teens
- Diabetes Medicines
- Diabetes Type 1
- Diabetes Type 2
- Diabetic Diet
- Diabetic Eye Problems
- Diabetic Foot
- Diabetic Heart Disease
- Diabetic Kidney Problems
- Diabetic Nerve Problems
- How to Prevent Diabetes
- Hyperglycemia
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Prediabetes
- Abortion
- Breast Cancer
- Breast Diseases
- Breast Reconstruction
- Breastfeeding
- Cervical Cancer
- Cervical Cancer Screening
- Cesarean Delivery
- Childbirth
- Ectopic Pregnancy
- Endometriosis
- Female Infertility
- Health Problems in Pregnancy
- High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy
- HIV and Pregnancy
- Hormone Replacement Therapy
- HPV
- Hysterectomy
- Infections and Pregnancy
- Mammography
- Mastectomy
- Menopause
- Menstruation
- Miscarriage
- Ovarian Cancer
- Ovarian Cysts
- Ovarian Disorders
- Pelvic Floor Disorders
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Pelvic Pain
- Period Pain
- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
- Pregnancy
- Pregnancy and Drug Use
- Pregnancy and Opioids
- Premenstrual Syndrome
- Prenatal Care
- Prenatal Testing
- Primary Ovarian Insufficiency
- Sexual Problems in Women
- Stillbirth
- Teenage Pregnancy
- Trichomoniasis
- Tubal Ligation
- Uterine Cancer
- Uterine Diseases
- Uterine Fibroids
- Vaginal Bleeding
- Vaginal Cancer
- Vaginal Diseases
- Vaginitis
- Vulvar Cancer
- Vulvar Disorders
- Yeast Infections
- Alcohol
- Calcium
- Child Nutrition
- Cholesterol
- Cholesterol Levels: What You Need to Know
- Cholesterol Medicines
- DASH Eating Plan
- Eating Disorders
- Food Allergy
- HDL: The “Good” Cholesterol
- High Cholesterol in Children and Teens
- How to Lower Cholesterol
- How to Lower Cholesterol with Diet
- Infant and Newborn Nutrition
- LDL: The “Bad” Cholesterol
- Malabsorption Syndromes
- Nutrition for Older Adults
- Pregnancy and Nutrition
- Toddler Nutrition
- Triglycerides
- VLDL Cholesterol
- Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
- Ataxia Telangiectasia
- Brain Malformations
- Cerebral Palsy
- Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease
- Chiari Malformation
- Cleft Lip and Palate
- Color Blindness
- Congenital Heart Defects
- Craniofacial Abnormalities
- Cystic Fibrosis
- Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
- Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
- Friedreich Ataxia
- Genetic Counseling
- Hemophilia
- Huntington’s Disease
- Hydrocephalus
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Neural Tube Defects
- Neurofibromatosis
- Newborn Screening
- Osteogenesis Imperfecta
- Prader-Willi Syndrome
- Pregnancy and Medicines
- Rett Syndrome
- Sickle Cell Disease
- Spina Bifida
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy
- Tay-Sachs Disease
- Tourette Syndrome
- Tuberous Sclerosis
- Usher Syndrome
- Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia
- Allergy
- Animal Bites
- Ankylosing Spondylitis
- Aplastic Anemia
- Asthma
- Asthma in Children
- Childhood Leukemia
- Childhood Vaccines
- Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
- COVID-19 Vaccines
- Cryptosporidiosis
- Eosinophilic Disorders
- Eosinophilic Esophagitis
- Giant Cell Arteritis
- Hay Fever
- HIV
- HIV and Infections
- HIV in Women
- Hodgkin Lymphoma
- Infectious Diseases
- Infectious Mononucleosis
- Juvenile Arthritis
- Kawasaki Disease
- Lymphedema
- Lymphoma
- Multiple Myeloma
- Pemphigus
- Pneumocystis Infections
- Rheumatoid Arthritis
- Scleroderma
- Sjogren’s Syndrome
- Tonsillitis
- Vaccines
- Viral Infections
- Adhesions
- Ankle Injuries and Disorders
- Arm Injuries and Disorders
- Back Injuries
- Brachial Plexus Injuries
- Burns
- Chest Injuries and Disorders
- Concussion
- CPR
- Dislocated Shoulder
- Dislocations
- Elbow Injuries and Disorders
- Eye Injuries
- Facial Injuries and Disorders
- Finger Injuries and Disorders
- Foot Injuries and Disorders
- Fractures
- Hand Injuries and Disorders
- Heel Injuries and Disorders
- Hip Injuries and Disorders
- Inhalation Injuries
- Insect Bites and Stings
- Jaw Injuries and Disorders
- Knee Injuries and Disorders
- Leg Injuries and Disorders
- Mosquito Bites
- Neck Injuries and Disorders
- Rotator Cuff Injuries
- Shoulder Injuries and Disorders
- Spinal Cord Injuries
- Sprains and Strains
- Tick Bites
- Toe Injuries and Disorders
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Wrist Injuries and Disorders
- Acute Bronchitis
- Bird Flu
- Chronic Bronchitis
- COPD
- COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019)
- Croup
- E-Cigarettes
- Fistulas
- Flu
- Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis
- H1N1 Flu (Swine Flu)
- Legionnaires’ Disease
- Lung Cancer
- Mesothelioma
- Pneumonia
- Pulmonary Hypertension
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infections
- Sleep Apnea
- Smoking
- Tuberculosis
- Whooping Cough
- Anatomy
- Assisted Reproductive Technology
- Birth Control
- Chlamydia Infections
- Circumcision
- Erectile Dysfunction
- Genital Herpes
- Genital Warts
- Gonorrhea
- Herpes Simplex
- Infertility
- Male Infertility
- Penis Disorders
- Prostate Cancer
- Prostate Cancer Screening
- Prostate Diseases
- Reproductive Hazards
- Sexual Health
- Sexual Problems in Men
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Syphilis
- Testicular Cancer
- Testicular Disorders
- Vasectomy
- Abdominal Pain
- Bad Breath
- Bleeding
- Breathing Problems
- Bruises
- Chest Pain
- Choking
- Chronic Pain
- Constipation
- Cough
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness and Vertigo
- Edema
- Fainting
- Fever
- Frostbite
- Gas
- Gastrointestinal Bleeding
- Headache
- Heartburn
- Heat Illness
- Hives
- Hypothermia
- Indigestion
- Itching
- Jaundice
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Pain
- Rare Diseases
- Raynaud’s Disease
- Sciatica
- Speech and Communication Disorders
- Stuttering
Herbal Medicine
Summary
An herb is a plant or plant part used for its scent, flavor, or therapeutic properties. Herbal medicines are one type of dietary supplement. They are sold as tablets, capsules, powders, teas, extracts, and fresh or dried plants. People use herbal medicines to try to maintain or improve their health.
Many people believe that products labeled “natural” are always safe and good for them. This is not necessarily true. Herbal medicines do not have to go through the testing that drugs do. Some herbs, such as comfrey and ephedra, can cause serious harm. Some herbs can interact with prescription or over-the-counter medicines.
If you are thinking about using an herbal medicine, first get information on it from reliable sources. Make sure to tell your health care provider about any herbal medicines you are taking.
NIH: National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
Specifics
- 5 Tips: What You Should Know about Popular Herbs (Evening Primrose Oil, St. John’s Wort, Fenugreek, Echinacea, and Aloe Vera) National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Acai National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Aloe Vera National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Asian Ginseng National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Astragalus National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Bilberry National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Bitter Orange National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Black Cohosh National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Butterbur National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Cat’s Claw National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Chamomile National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Chasteberry National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Cinnamon National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Cranberry National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Dandelion National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Echinacea National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Echinacea: What Should I Know about It? American Academy of Family Physicians
- Elderberry National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Ephedra National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- European Mistletoe National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Evening Primrose Oil National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Fenugreek National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Feverfew National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Flaxseed and Flaxseed Oil National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Garlic National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Ginger National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Ginkgo National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Goldenseal National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Grape Seed Extract National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Green Tea National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Hawthorn National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Hoodia National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Horse Chestnut National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Kava National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Lavender National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Licorice Root National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Milk Thistle National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Mugwort National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Noni National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Passionflower National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Peppermint Oil National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Red Clover National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Red Yeast Rice National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Sage National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Saw Palmetto National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Soy National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- St. John’s Wort National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Tea Tree Oil National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Thunder God Vine National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Turmeric National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Valerian National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- What Are Chia Seeds? Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
- Yohimbe National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
Patient Handouts
- A guide to herbal remedies Medical Encyclopedia
Start Here
- About Herbs, Botanicals & Other Products Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
- Botanical Dietary Supplements: Background Information National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements
- Dietary and Herbal Supplements National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Dietary Supplement Label Database (DSLD) National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements
- Herbal Health Products and Supplements American Academy of Family Physicians
- Herbal Medicine Johns Hopkins Medicine
- Herbal Supplements Cleveland Clinic Foundation
- Herbs at a Glance National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- MedlinePlus: Herbs and Supplements National Library of Medicine
Related Issues
- Alerts and Advisories National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- Herbal Supplements and Heart Medicines May Not Mix Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Natural Doesn’t Necessarily Mean Safer, or Better National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
- St. John’s Wort and Depression National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Herbal Medicine National Institutes of Health
Women
- Menopausal Symptoms: In Depth National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health
Find an Expert
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health