Pharmacovigilance and adverse reactions to the medicinal plants and herbal drugs: a reality

Pharmacovigilance and adverse reactions to the medicinal plants and herbal drugs: a reality. The herbal drugs are used by self-medication or by medical prescription and most of them do not have their toxic profile well know.-Currently they are incorporate to the Phytotherapy Programs as an effective and little expensive therapeutic option. The importance of the inclusion of the herbal drugs in the pharmacovigilance programs has been recognized in the last years by several countries from Europe, like United Kingdom and Germany, where several plants were submitted to pharmacovigilance and many of them were removed from the market due to important toxic effects and risk for human,use. The pharmacovigilance of medicinal plants and herbal drugs is an emergent concern and through the international system it will be possible to identify the ignored undesirable effects, to quantify risks and to identify the risks factors and mechanisms, to standardize terms, to publish experiences, etc., allowing their safe and effective use.