Buies Creek, N.C. –Did you know that St. John’s wort has long been used medicinally to treat mild depression, or that parsley isn’t just an attractive garnish, but a natural diuretic that can lower blood pressure and improve the functioning of the bladder? Dr. Antoine Al-Achi’s book, “An Introduction to Botanical Medicines,” explains how, if used properly and safely, these and other natural herbs can play a major role in overall good health. However, Al-Achi, an associate professor of pharmacy at Campbell University, can’t caution patients enough about consulting their doctors before beginning any form of herbal treatment.“There are two messages I would like for people to derive from this book,” said Al-Achi, “one is to educate people on the use and benefits of botanical medicines and the other is to urge them to stay away from these medicines unless they consult a physician first.”Without proper monitoring, herbal medicines can interact negatively or positively with prescription or over- the-counter drugs, Al-Achi explains. For example, garlic is a natural reducer of LDL or “bad” cholesterol, which is a positive interaction with cholesterol-lowering agents. But for patients already taking insulin or any oral anti-diabetic agent, the consumption of garlic may contribute to lowering blood sugar, which could result in coma or even death. On the contrary, sage, well-known for enhancing memory and sharpening the senses, may enhance the activity of cholinesterase inhibitors such as Aricept used in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease—a positive drug/herb interaction.Herbal medicines or dietary supplements also fall into a different category than prescription or over-the-counter drugs and are not scrutinized in the same way by the FDA. Although many health professionals use them as a treatment modality, there is a public stigma associated with them because they aren’t considered to be based in “real” science like other drugs. In addition, there are also patenting issues. “How do you put a patent on parsley or sage?” Al-Achi asked. The bottom line, explains Al-Achi, is that the pharmaceutical companies just don’t make enough profit off the manufacture of herbal or dietary supplements. Still, with proper use, the benefits of these medicines far outweigh their disadvantages, he said.“Nature has blessed us with remedies to sustain or restore our health,” Al-Achi says in the book’s preface. “The pharmaceutical industry recognizes the importance of these components in plants. The number of Americans who use herbal medicines is on the increase, and all indications are that patients will be demanding these products to supplement their health.”Dr. Antoine Al-Achi received a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from Damascus University in Damascus, Syria. He went on to earn a master’s degree from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Sciences and a Master of Science in Radiopharmaceutical Sciences from Northeastern University. He received a Ph.D. in Biomedical Science/Pharmaceutics/Pharmacokinetics from Northeastern University. His research interests include insulin delivery systems, cell culture studies and quality control of dosage forms. His responsibilities at Campbell’s School of Pharmacy have included serving as the Drug Delivery Consultant (2007-present), head of the Formulation Development Division (2002-2006) and as an assistant and associate professor of pharmacy. Copies of the book, “An Introduction to Botanical Medicines,” may be purchased through the publisher’s website: http://www.greenwood.com/books/printFlyer.aspx?sku=C35009 or at major book outlets such as Barnes & Nobel and Amazon.com.Photo Copy: Dr. Antoine Al-Achi, professor of pharmacy at Campbell University, displays his recently published book, “An Introduction to Botanical Medicines.”Bulletin: 0013Date: 9/19/08
Al-Achi publishes book on natural medicines