MORE STUDY NEEDED ON HERBAL REMEDIES -U.S. DOCTORS

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Some critics of the lucrative herbal remedy industry
are suggesting the government take a hard look at health claims ahead of
next week's U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) public meeting on
dietary supplements.

``Nutritional marketing is way, way ahead of some of the research,'' Dr.
John Renner, head of the National Council for Reliable Health Information,
said at a food technology conference in Chicago this week. ``We worry
because we know the public is horribly confused.''

The FDA says the Aug. 4 meeting in Washington will be an opportunity for
the agency to hear what more it should require from the makers of dietary
supplements said to do everything from enhancing memory to soothing nerves.

Dr. Michael Rotblatt, associate professor of medicine at the University of
California at Los Angeles, said there has been little effort in the United
States to find out whether these remedies work, at which dosages, and
whether there are any side effects.

Rotblatt reviewed European studies on echinacea, a plant derivative
marketed to stimulate the immune system, and kava, a root-based herbal
remedy that is supposed to relieve stress and anxiety, and found mixed
results.

In several European studies, researchers found no difference between
echinacea and a placebo in preventing colds and flu, although the studies
did suggest it can limit the severity and duration of symptoms, Rotblatt said.

Studies on kava found it to be more effective than a sugar pill at reducing
stress and anxiety. But when taken in large doses, the supplement can cause
a loss of motor skills similar to drunkenness, Rotblatt said.

``There is good evidence that kava does have some anti-anxiety properties,
but there are some worrisome situations,'' Rotblatt said. ``All of us
should be concerned about the labeling of these products.''

The FDA did tighten its rules earlier this year to make dietary supplement
labels carry more information including a list of ingredients and levels of
vitamins and minerals.

Advocates of herbal remedies say they are already under the watchful eye of
the FDA, since they must submit documentation outlining their health claims.

The FDA has the power to shoot down claims that cannot be supported, said
Annette Dickinson, an official with the dietary supplement trade group
Council for Responsible Nutrition.

She said most of the health claims on herbal remedies are innocuous, adding
that the FDA does need to ensure that claims can be backed up.

``These (herbal remedy) products have a long history of beneficial use,''
she said.

Americans spent about $3.8 billion on herbs and other botanical products in
1998, up from $2.5 billion in 1995, industry data shows.

The remedies are usually classified as dietary supplements, and are
therefore exempt from the rigorous FDA scrutiny that drugs must undergo.