Himalaya Drug Co. started in 1930 out of Burma creating and distributing ayurvedic herbal medicine. They launched the first anti-hypertensive drug derived from the plant Rauwolfia (weird name). I know very little of ayurvedic plant medicine. But apparently this plant has been traditionally used to treat anxiety, psychosis, schizophrenia, insomnia and epilepsy. A serious plant drug. Their website is worth checking out because they generally explain each of the plant medicines used in their products.
I wrote down the ingredients of that pill being sold in PCC because I wanted to check out their situations online. The herbal constituents are: Chicory (seed), andrographis, grape (fruit), date palm (fruit), phyllanthus, amla. Sounds tasty.
Chicory I am familiar with as a coffee substitute and for it's beautiful pastel blue/purple flowers. The seeds are said to be a carminative (preventing or expelling gas). Apparently chicory is an acclaimed hepatoprotector (preventing damage to the liver). Studies to demonstrate this have been done on adult albino rats. Chicory can be found along the Burke Gilman Bike Trail! Though in less abundance than the Himalayan Blackberry.
If you are drinking a lot of alcohol I guess you want to consume those hepatoprotectors. Others include almond and castor oils, burdock, astragalus, tumeric, curry, gotu kola, brassica plants (eat your leafy greens), reishi mushroom, licorice, holy basil, and so on. THE POWER PLANTS! Think I'd rather stick to drinking less though.
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Do you think there is a value here ... if someone has a liver problem but does not drink?
ReplyDeleteMy mothers doctor told her she should stop drinking because of results on a blood test years ago. She said she doesn't drink (I don't think he believed her though).
She is now in her 80s and everything is failing on her. I gave her one of these and she seemed better afterwards. (As far as I know she never drank by the way -- and these days she is bed ridden and doesn't go out so she has no way of drinking and hiding it from other people because someone would have to be buying the alcohol and giving it to her).
I saw these pills in the local Whole Foods and I bought one for her ... it is too soon to tell if the pill is what improved her condition. But I went back and bought 8 more and intend to try giving her one everyday (or every other day) for a week and see if the improvement continues.
You didn't really say much about whether there is any benefit to the liver with any of these herbs AFTER the fact rather than during and if it would benefit other liver conditions that are not alcohol related.
I know the company packages this as a hangover prevention type pill ... but maybe there is much more here. It is an Indian company ... I wonder if they market the pill in India for things other than just alcohol use.
I will post again after my mother has used it for more than a week to let those reading this know if I noticed anything worth reporting.
Thanks for your information about hepatoprotectors ... I know I've heard a lot of great things about Almond Oil in the past ... wasn't aware it was good for the liver ... I'll have to start buying it again.
thanks ... Joanne
Thanks for writing Joanne. Unfortunately there are thousands of environmental toxins our livers must constantly process and detoxify. When we injest poisonous foods and drinks or drugs, if our livers are genetically predisposed to malfunction we may overload our system even further. So we are kinder to our bodies by not consuming as many toxins - alcohol is one we may choose to avoid. I am not going to comment on addiction here. Of course as we age our bodies break down, some faster than others, which is both genetically influenced and as a result of our lifestyles. Some people may consume lot's of alcohol their whole lives and be just fine. I would say the important thing is to know your body, your limits, and respect them - and to work with your personal situation. Well done to seek out remedies for your mother, try everything you can and see what works. Every body is different. I wish the best for you both. Keep me posted on the medicines you are trying.
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