Pharmacovigilance of herbal medicines: The vigilance of tomorrow

ABSTRACT

This chapter reviews current research, knowledge and practice in the field of herbal medicines (HMs). Its focus is on phytovigilance, on what has been achieved in the science and the urgent need for its development. As the use of HMs surges across the world, safety and rational use become ever-more pressing issues, especially with regard to the discovery of adverse effects from often lightly-regulated or unregulated HMs themselves and from interactions from concomitant use of Western medicine. The current state of research is reviewed, with illustrative examples from work on COVID-19 and cancer. The chapter proposes expansion and improvement in regulation, standardization, clinical trials, information for practitioners and users, monitoring and reporting systems and in communication at all levels. Future progress relies on phytovigilance being given a higher priority in public health policy, in professional training, in research and in public communication. © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.