Phytochemistry and the myth of 'chemical-free' herbs

What are chemicals?

Chemicals are substances consistently formed from either a single element, or by molecules chemically bonded together.

Phytochemicals is a specific term used to refer to the chemicals contained in herbs that have medicinal effects. 

Are herbs 'chemical-free'?

There is no difference between an element or molecule, whether it is in a herb, a pharmaceutical, or any other object.

There are some ways in which molecules can combine differently, depending on several factors. 

How chemicals are made

Differences in specific types of a chemical, such as isomers, can be produced depending on the reaction used to create the chemical. For example, the R variant of the chemical thalidomide is helpful for morning sickness in pregnancy, whilst the S variant can cause serious problems.

Furthermore, some catalysts or solvents could impose toxicity in a certain substance.

Are natural chemicals more effective?

Both of the problems above can be found in nature, such as in herbs. Pharmaceuticals undergo extensive testing to ensure their chemical contents are safe and predictable - but because of varying chemical contents, this is difficult to do for herbs.

There are some situations where a natural product can be better for you than an isolated chemical. For example, eating a carrot will be better for you overall than taking a single vitamin A supplement, because it also contains fibres and other vitamins.

Chemicals in herbs

Herbs are far from chemical-free - they contain hundreds of chemicals. Unlike pharmaceuticals, where we know exactly how much of a substance each pill contains, the chemical composition of herbs can vary greatly. This makes herbalism difficult to do exactly, and can increase the danger associated with herbal treatments.