Toxicity

A flood of products promises to ‘detox’ the body. But do you really need any of them?

A flood of products promises to ‘detox’ the body. But do you really need any of them?

It’s the first week of January and the word “detox” is probably trending again. It has, like clockwork, for the past five years. From juices and supplements to foot baths and diet regimens, detox products become more popular this time of year. But what do these treatments and programs actually do — and do you…

Friday essay: cure or kill? The deadly serious world of poison gardens – and why I planted my own

Friday essay: cure or kill? The deadly serious world of poison gardens – and why I planted my own

Not every plant is your friend. Not every plant is good. I know this because I’ve been researching the history of poison gardens and have planted a modest one in my small Sydney backyard. A poison garden contains only toxic plants, which could kill humans if consumed in varying quantities. The concept of a poison…

An overview of herbal nutraceuticals, their extraction, formulation, therapeutic effects and potential toxicity

Herbal nutraceuticals are foods derived from plants and/or their derivatives, such as oils, roots, seeds, berries, or flowers, that support wellness and combat acute and chronic ailments induced by unhealthful dietary habits. The current review enlists various traditional as well as unexplored herbs including angelica, burnet, caraway, laurel, parsley, yarrow, and zedoary, which are rich…