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| studies conducted with animals. Scientific researchers place a significant amount of importance on such data. Some feel that herbs should not be used until adequate numbers of animal studies have been conducted to determine both the safety and effectiveness of botanicals. While I have reported the findings of such data, in most cases I strongly disagree with the need for animal testing for many reasons. First and foremost, one of the inherent principles of herbalism is that all life is to be honored and respected. Second, more often than not, science only validates what traditional peoples have known for centuries. The time and expense expended and the pain inflicted upon the animals does not seem justified to find out something herbalists have known for hundreds of years. Third, animal physiology is very different from human physiology. One animal's medicine is another one's poison, so data based on animal research cannot always be applied to human use. Lastly, in this time of technological wizardry, it is likely that other more efficient, less costly and more humane models for studying medicine can be developed. If we lose our respect and love for animals, we lessen our respect and love for our own species. |
| Echinacea as an Antibiotic |
| Perhaps the greatest contribution echinacea can make to American healthcare is to lessen dependence on conventional antibiotics (anti = against/ biotic = life). Every year, literally tons of antibiotics are consumed by Americans, many by our children. For ear infections alone, there are 25 to 30 million visits to the doctor every year. Numerous reports cite that many |
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