Capsules
Alcohol extracts raise questions about herbs and kids
A voluntary recall of ginseng products in four states last
summer has sparked an interest in whether herbal remedies are safe
for children.
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The recall, issued in New York, Connecticut, Ohio, and
Massachusetts, came after New York state teachers reported that
students were drinking vials of ginseng extract that contained up
to 24 percent alcohol. General Nutrition Centers, a national chain,
also removed one brand of ginseng from its shelves because of
concerns about children using the alcohol-extracted herb.
Mark Blumenthal, executive director of the American Botanical
Council, said the danger is not ginseng itself, but the possibility
of children abusing products that contain undisclosed amounts of
alcohol. The products that prompted the recall did not disclose
alcohol content, he said.
Ginseng root is known for its energy-boosting action, with
extensive European research on its abilities and a history of use
in China as a tonic herb. But many alternative health-care
practitioners say that wise use of the herb requires professional
guidance—particularly in the United States, where herbal remedies
are lightly regulated. Children, whose bodies are still growing and
changing, should always use herbs under strict supervision, they
say.
Parents concerned about the safety of giving their children
herbal remedies may wish to rely on gentle herbs traditionally used
for children, including chamomile, ginger, lemongrass, and thyme,
said Marji Mills of Herbs for Kids, a company based in Bozeman,
Montana. Stronger herbs are best taken under the guidance of a
trained practitioner, she said.
—Herbs for Health staff