herbal
Meaning of herbal: Herbal describes products or remedies derived from plants, which can carry measurable pharmacologic effects and interactions despite a natural origin.
Definition of herbal
Herbal describes something derived from or relating to plants, most often used for products, remedies, or supplements made from plant material such as leaves, roots, flowers, or bark. Herbal products are used in many traditional healing systems and are widely available as teas, extracts, capsules, and topical preparations.
Although herbal products come from natural sources, many contain biologically active compounds capable of producing real pharmacologic effects, including interactions with prescription medications and, in some cases, adverse effects. Regulation of herbal products differs from that of prescription drugs in many jurisdictions, and manufacturing standards, labeled contents, and the strength of supporting evidence can vary considerably between products.
Because of this variability, the term herbal describes a product's plant-based origin rather than any guarantee about its safety, purity, or effectiveness.
Used in a sentence
The clinician asked about any herbal supplements the patient was taking in addition to prescribed medications.
Good to know
A product being herbal does not mean it is free of side effects or drug interactions; some herbal compounds interact with prescription medications in clinically significant ways.