Quality Control for the Safety of Natural Products

Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined a medicinal plant as any plant in which one or more of its parts consists of substances that are used for the synthesis of beneficial drugs [1]. These plants need to be studied to better comprehend their characteristics, safety, and efficacy [2]. They comprise biologically active chemicals, including saponins, tannins, essential oil flavonoids, and alkaloids, among others [3], which all serve remedial purposes. It is estimated that 30 000–70 000 medicinal plants exist worldwide, most of which have not been systematically investigated [4]. Generally, herbal products are safer than conventional medications. While monitoring thousands of people who used ginkgo, St. John’s wort, and kava in Europe, a study revealed that mild adverse effects were encountered in fewer than 3% of users [5].