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The large headline "12 Top Herbs for Weight Loss" prominently positioned on page 1 of the March 1997 issue of Natural Pharmacy proved irresistible.

The article that followed turned out to be an adaptation from the book Feeling Light -- the Holistic Solution to Permanent Weight Loss and Wellness by herbalist S. Katzman and holistic health professional W. Shankin-Cohen, in collaboration with M. Marshall (Avon Books, 1997). Believing that herbs of any kind are minimally effective -- if at all -- in promoting weight loss, I read the article to see if there might be something I had overlooked.

A Dozen Errors

Here are the authors' selections of "weight loss herbs" followed by my comments.

Aloe juice: Not to be confused with aloe gel, the juice or latex is such a potent stimulant laxative that many authorities no longer recommend its use.

Burlock: Said to have diuretic properties. None of its purported effects has been confirmed by clinical testing.

Chickweed: There is no acceptable evidence that it possesses therapeutic value.

Dandelion: The leaves have a slight diuretic action; the root is a laxative.

Sassafras bark: Long prohibited from use as a flavor or food additive by the FDA because it contains safrole, a proven carcinogen in small animals.

Yellow dock: This is another stimulant laxative.

Buchu: An old-time diuretic. Once a very popular proprietary drug.

Cleavers: Another diuretic.

Flax: Primarily a bulk laxative.

Horsetail: Has a feeble diuretic effect.

Marshmallow: A soothing demulcent (mild pain reliever of mucous tissue) due to its mucilage; used both externally and internally.

Alfalfa: There is no scientific or clinical evidence to support any significant therapeutic activity of this herb.

None of the herbs in this deceptive dozen has any proven effect on weight loss. Most of them have some laxative or diuretic action which promotes the temporary loss of water from the body, providing a passing illusion of weight loss. The protracted use of stimulant laxatives, such as aloe juice and yellow dock, and of diuretics (buchu, cleavers) may lead to hypokalemia, i.e., potassium depletion, which can result in cardiac irregularities and even respiratory arrest. Therefore, their long-term use suggested in the article -- "Herbs that aid in elimination should become a permanent feature of one's daily diet" -- is just plain bad advice. The inclusion of sassafras bark, a banned carcinogen, in an article advocating daily use of such herbs is incomprehensible.

Without Reason

The authors do warn against the use of preparations that contain ephedra and guarana (a caffeine-rich seed). Now this is good advice because chronic use of such preparations may cause severe side effects in patients with hypertension, diabetes, or thyroid conditions. However, they go on to caution against the use of yohimbe or damiana. This is an interesting warning since neither of these herbs has any folkloric reputation as a promoter of weight loss. Instead, they are said to act as aphrodisiacs.

That attribution is undeserved for damiana, an essentially inactive herb. Yohimbe, on the other hand, may be marginally useful in the treatment of psychogenic impotence. However, its use is precluded by undesirable side effects at therapeutic doses. These include nervous excitation, sleeplessness, hypertension, and tachycardia. What occasioned the mention -- even negatively -- of these alleged aphrodisiacs in a book or an article on possible weight-loss herbs?

Of course, they are just as effective for that purpose as the dozen herbs advocated in the article, which is to say, not at all!

Dr. Tyler is a Board member of Nutrition Forum; a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Pharmacognosy, Purdue University; and the author of The Honest Herbal, a classic in the field.