In traditional Eastern medicine, herbs have always played an important role. In Western medicine, however, they've taken a back seat to the pharmaceuticals produced in scientific labs, where their quality and uniformity can be monitored. Still, many medications used today have strong roots in the plant world.

Consider the most wonderful of the wonder drugs — aspirin and its plant ancestor, the willow. Native Americans chewed on willow bark to relieve headaches and other pains. The active agent in willow, salicin, is the word from which aspirin is derived.

A Warning Note or Two

Some herbs have the power to soothe your nerves, and some have the power to relieve pain. Others, however, contain deadly poisons and can cause illness and death. Before you go off into the woods or the meadows picking plants to brew into a tea, consult a good herbal (the name given to an authoritative work on herbs). Rodale's Illustrated Encyclopedia of Herbs is the plant bible and provides sound information to the curious mind.

After you've done some homework and determined that your herb of choice is not potentially harmful, consult your physician or pharmacist. Some herbs have negative interactions with prescription medications, and you could find yourself in some serious trouble if you inadvertently create a deadly mix. Always clear your proposed regimen with your physician and pharmacist before you go native.

You're On Your Own

The warning above also holds true for any non-herbal supplements you decide to make part of your health management plan. Just because you can buy it at the natural foods or health foods store doesn't mean it's harmless or even good for you.

Also, the Food and Drug Safety Administration (FDA) considers herbs and supplements to be dietary supplements — that means neither a food nor a drug — and that means the FDA stays out of the picture until a product has proven to be unsafe.

Learn the Law

According to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), a dietary supplement is a product other than tobacco that:

• Supplements the food you eat

• Contains one or more dietary ingredients — including vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and other substances

• Comes in pill, capsule, tablet, or liquid form

• Is labeled as a dietary supplement

So What Does All This Mean?

Many supplements have specific health benefits, but you never can be sure exactly what you're getting, so consistency of product strength and purity are concerns. The difficulty is in quality control. You need to read the labels with an educated eye and become a knowledgeable and confident consumer.

Here's why: Consumer Lab.com tested 11 brands of echinacea to run a quality control check. They found that only four samples contained what was stated on their labels. About 10 percent had no echinacea at all; half were mislabeled as to the species of echinacea in the product; and more than half of the standardized preparations did not contain the labeled amount of active ingredients.

Herbs and supplements are available at the warehouse superstores, health food stores, regular grocery stores, and pharmacies. Don't try to save a few pennies by buying an off brand or an unknown brand. Choose a company with a proven track record. Again, your pharmacist can give you good information and recommendations.

Before you get to the store, know in advance the common name and the scientific name of the herb or supplement you're seeking. Since common names vary by geographical region, the scientific name is the way to be sure you're getting what you want.

Holding That Brown Bottle in Your Hand

The color, by the way, is to keep sunlight from degrading the contents of the bottle. Now that the label is staring up at you, read the warnings. If nothing there applies to you, check the ingredients. If you have allergies to certain products, be sure they aren't on the ingredient list. Then check the expiration date, storage instructions, and dosage information. Finally, look to see what kind of fillers are used. Sometimes these are called “flowering agents.” How much herb or supplement are you actually getting and how much filler? Okay! It's time to take a look at herbs and supplements that may help with the symptoms of depression.