Historical Aspects of Herbal Use and Comparison of Current Regulations of Herbal Products between Mexico, Canada and the United States of America

Patricia Rojas (), Helgi Jung-Cook, Elizabeth Ruiz-Sánchez, Irma Susana Rojas-Tomé, Carolina Rojas, Arely M. López-Ramírez and Aldo Arturo Reséndiz-Albor
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Patricia Rojas: Laboratorio de Inmunidad de Mucosas, Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Superior de Medicina del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis esq. Salvador Díaz Mirón s/n, Mexico City C.P. 11340, Mexico
Helgi Jung-Cook: Facultad de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City C.P. 04510, Mexico
Elizabeth Ruiz-Sánchez: Laboratorio de Neurotoxicología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SSA, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Mexico City C.P. 14269, Mexico
Irma Susana Rojas-Tomé: Laboratorio de Neuropsicofarmacología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SSA, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Mexico City C.P. 14269, Mexico
Carolina Rojas: Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City C.P. 04510, Mexico
Arely M. López-Ramírez: Laboratorio de Neurotoxicología, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía “Manuel Velasco Suárez”, SSA, Av. Insurgentes Sur No. 3877, Mexico City C.P. 14269, Mexico
Aldo Arturo Reséndiz-Albor: Laboratorio de Inmunidad de Mucosas, Sección de Estudios de Posgrado e Investigación, Escuela Superior de Medicina del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Plan de San Luis esq. Salvador Díaz Mirón s/n, Mexico City C.P. 11340, Mexico

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 23, 1-17

Abstract: Increased life expectancy and high costs of medicines and medical care have led to the use of herbal products. However, these items may contain toxic compounds that have an impact on public health. We will focus on the regulatory aspects and differences of these products marketed in the North American region (USA-Mexico-Canada) from government websites and selected literature. Mexico has an ancestral tradition of using plants for the treatment, improvement, and maintenance of human health as compared with Canada and the USA Currently, the use of herbal products in this region has a regulatory framework. The legal framework in these three countries is related to their history, idiosyncrasies, socio-economic and cultural aspects. Therefore, there are different public policies for herbal products consumed in the region. Mexico has a more specific classification of these products. In Canada, all herbal products are classified as natural health products and the safety and efficacy must be scientifically proven. In the USA, the development of botanical drugs is very recent. In particular, both herbal products classified as food supplements in Mexico and dietary supplements in the USA may have risks in both safety and efficacy.

Keywords: herbal products; legislation for herbal products; regulations for herbal products; regulatory science; herbal medicine; botanical drug; dietary supplements; natural health products; Mexico; Canada; United States of America (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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