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ABSTRACT
Herbs are the most ubiquitous and continuous form of treatment in human history. Their history not only parallels the evolution of medicine, but also provides for an understanding of attitudes and regulations regarding health, medicine and the roles of healers and consumers. As organized, scientific medicine advanced, questions were raised about many common and folk medicine traditions. Herbals currently exist as an ambiguous entity between our traditional concepts of medications and nutritionals. In this obscured state, formal regulations to ensure public safety and medical efficacy are virtually nonexistent. The intent of this paper is to enlighten regarding the history of these important products, to explain their appropriate roles within the context of American health care and evaluate the sociocultural attitudes and problems in our efforts to provide safe and effective health care alternatives for American consumers.