Potential of Herbal Drinks

Potential of Herbal Drinks
In supermarket, and health food stores today, there are several different beverages with such catchy names as Scarlet Sunrise, Lemon Appeal, Sunburst C, Tangy Autumn, Mint Magic and Country Peach Passion. These herbal beverages may provide some therapeutic medicinal value. Those herbal beverages for which therapeutic properties are claimed may vary widely in their potency; therefore, a desired effect may be obtained. In addition, reaction to a particular herb can vary greatly form one person to another.

The potency of herbal beverages and hence their effectiveness, cannot be accurately predicted because the concentration of active ingredients in the plant material can vary enormously. Several factors can influence the potency of a herb, such as age of the plant, growing conditions, growing locations, storage and handling procedures, extraction methods and post-harvest processing. Any of these factors may produce a wide variation in the properties associated with an herbal tea.

Poor standardization of herbal teas can produce unreliable effects due to the great variation in the active constituents. The lack of standardization can contribute to the risk of overdose. There was also significant variability in the concentration of the marker compound from one brand of product to another.

Other issues to consider relate to species identification and whether the correct part of the plant is used. Different species of a particular genus may not act similarity. For example, the three of Echinacea have different activities. The oral use of the upper parts of Echinacea purpurea are recognized a beneficial for colds and respiratory infections, whereas it is root and the upper parts of Echinacea pallida that are useful for the treatment pf influenza-like infections.

On the other hand, neither the root nor the upper parts of Echinacea angustifolia provide any benefit for the treatment of respiratory tract infections. Because of the world wide shortage of Echinacea, some manufacturers have diluted their Echinacea preparations with wild quinine root, a cheaper look-alike substitute, which is inactive.
Potential of Herbal Drinks

Herbal Beverages in America

Herbal Beverages in America
Drinking herbal beverage is popular in America for several reasons. Herbal teas provide opportunities to have a low calories beverage or a healthy caffeine-free alternative to coffee. Other tea may provide a medicinal affect. These herbal beverages may contain extracts from the bark, roots, seeds, flowers, leaves or fruits or trees and shrubs. Today, the herbal tea industry has become a multimillion-dollar business.

It was common for American Indians to use herbal preparations to treat various ailments and illness. For example, a tea made from Yarrow leaves was used to cure stomach disorders, to treat hemorrhaging, and break a fever. Bee balm was prepared as a tea by the Oswego Indians to treat colic, colds, fevers, stomachaches, nosebleeds, and insomnia. Witch hazel was used to treat rheumatism, hemorrhoids, backaches, cuts, insect bites and bruises. Wild yam was used to treat gastrointestinal (GI) problem and relieve labor pains, and slippery elm was used as a soothing laxative. Various Native American tribes used motherwort to treat gynecologic disorders, whereas a tea made from goldenseal root was used as a general tonic.

After Europeans came to America, other herbal teas were used for various purposes. For example, hop tea was useful to induce sleep, passionflower was used to treat insomnia and peppermint tea was successfully used to relieve nausea and indigestion. In addition willow bark was used for muscle aches and pains and to treat fevers, and white oak bark was used as a gargle for sore throats and to relieve skin problems.

To avoid consuming caffeine-containing beverages, some people choose cereal-based beverages. These originally develop from roasted cereals and molasses. Years ago, these coffee substitutes were popular. Because these beverages stimulate gastric acid secretion, person who develop peptic ulcer should not consumes the roasted cereal beverages in an empty stomach.
Herbal Beverages in America

Chrysanthemum Tea as Traditional Medicine

Chrysanthemum Tea as Traditional Medicine
Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat normally use as an attractive flower for horticultural purpose in Europe, but in several Asian countries such as China, Korea and Japan it has been use as a traditional medicine. The flower of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat, owing to its broad pharmaceutical effects as well as it fragrance, is also used as a beverage – chrysanthemum tea.
Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat is widely distributed in most habitats of China as well as Korea and Japan. In China, it is cultivated mainly in Zhejiang province along the Yangzi River. Ting Xiang City of this province, also refer to as the “City of Chrysanthemum,” produces about 4000-5000 tons of chrysanthemum flower each year, which accounts for more than 90% of the total Chrysanthemum production in China.

Chrysanthemum Tea is prepared in the same way as traditional tea. The dried flowers are infused with hot water for over 10 min. and the tea is ready to serve. For clinical usage, the chrysanthemum is boiled either alone or together with various herbs, according to the prescription to suit a specific clinical purpose.

Based on traditional usage, in addition to use as a tea Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat is used for common cold, fever, migraines, conjunctivitis, eye irritation, hypertension, ulcerative colitis, vertigo, ophthalmia with swelling and pain, etc. As a mixture with other herbs, it has been claimed to be able to relieve migraines and eye irritation, improve vision and cure keratitis.

Apart from the above traditional usage, there were also other usages, such as antitumor activities. Chrysanthemum water extract was found to significantly inhibit growth of transplanted tumor in mice, suggesting that the water soluble components of chrysanthemum may have potent chemopreventive effects.
Chrysanthemum Tea as Traditional Medicine

Thai Traditional Herbal Beverages

Herbal Drinks
Thai people have, over the centuries, adapted their living conditions in the hot and humid tropics through their housing, clothing, foods, and beverages. Traditional herbal beverages, the subject of this paper, have played an important role, not only in quenching the thirst, but also in providing therapy for common ailments.

Thai traditional herbal beverages can be classified into six groups, viz.
(i) herbal teas,
(ii) herbal drinks,
(iii) herbal juices,
(iv) herbal milks,
(v) toddies, and
(v) coconut water.
Herbal teas are obtained by infusion of fresh or dry plant material. Popular Thai traditional herbal teas are made from Roselle, chrysanthemum, safflower, and bael fruit. Herbal drinks are obtained by decoction or concoction from flowers, fruits, leaves, and roots/rhizomes; popular traditional herbal drinks are made from roselle, pomegranate, sugar apple, tamarind, lime, carambola, longan, mulberry, native apricot, and bael fruit.

Herbal juices are obtained by expression from fruits (e.g. mandarin, orange, and pineapple), and stem of sugarcane. Herbal milks are obtained by expression of plant materials; most popular ones are soybean and young-rice milks. Toddy, a special kind of herbal beverage, is a sweet aromatic sap exuded out through root pressure from cut surface of the inflorescence of the coconut and sugar palms. Coconut water is unique in that it is the only beverage in which the water is obtained by decanting from fruit cavity of the coconut.
Through the use of traditional and local wisdom and knowledge of local plants, the Thais since ancient times have developed effective methods of preparing traditional beverages with healthy and refreshing properties.
Herbal Drinks