Regulation & Basics
This 1994 law governs how dietary supplements are labeled and requires a standard disclaimer that they are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease.
What is the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA)?
Rationale: DSHEA limits how supplements can be marketed and explains why labels emphasize that they are not FDA‑approved drugs
This plant is put on the skin for burns and pain and can work as a laxative if taken by mouth.
Answer: What is aloe vera?
Rationale: Aloe is common in skin products but can also affect the bowels when swallowed.
This root is often used for nausea and motion sickness.
Answer: What is ginger?
Rationale: Ginger is a popular natural remedy for upset stomach and travel sickness.
Taken by mouth, this burn‑soothing plant can upset electrolytes and affect heart medicines like digoxin.
Answer: What is aloe vera?
Rationale: Oral aloe can change fluid and electrolyte balance and interact with cardiac drugs.
This plant can be used medically by breathing it in, putting it on the skin, or swallowing it.
Answer: What is cannabis (medical marijuana)?
Rationale: The slides name inhalation, topical, and ingestion as common routes.
: This agency does not check most herbal products for safety and effectiveness before they are sold.
Answer: What is the FDA?
Rationale: Supplements do not need full FDA approval before marketing, so they are less regulated than prescription drugs.
This herb is used to help hot flashes and other menopause symptoms because it acts like estrogen.
Answer: What is black cohosh?
Rationale: Its estrogen‑like effects explain why people use it for menopause discomfort.
This supplement is taken to improve blood flow to the legs and brain.
Answer: What is ginkgo biloba?
Rationale: Ginkgo may help with circulation problems and some memory complaints.
Because this migraine herb affects platelets, it can increase bleeding when used with blood thinners.
Answer: What is feverfew?
Rationale: Feverfew plus NSAIDs, heparin, or warfarin raises bleeding risk.
Cannabis belongs to this drug schedule, which means it has a high abuse potential and cannot be prescribed like regular medications.
Answer: What is Schedule I?
Rationale: Schedule I status explains why it is still illegal at the federal level for medical prescribing.
These products are very common but are less tested, less regulated, and often not standardized.
Answer: What are natural products and herbal therapies?
Rationale: Because they are not carefully tested or standardized, their strength and safety can vary.
Many people take this herb at the start of a cold because it may boost the immune system.
Answer: What is echinacea?
Rationale: Echinacea is often used to “support immunity” and help fight infections.
This supplement is taken with chondroitin to help painful joints and cartilage.
Answer: What is glucosamine?
Rationale: Glucosamine is used for joint health, especially in people with arthritis.
People with a crab, shrimp, or oyster allergy must be careful with this joint supplement.
Answer: What is glucosamine?
Rationale: Glucosamine is often made from shellfish, which can trigger allergic reactions.
These two prescription drugs made from cannabis chemicals are approved for nausea and poor appetite.
Answer: What are dronabinol and nabilone?
Rationale: They are the FDA‑approved cannabinoid medicines from the lecture.
This term describes using herbal and natural products along with, not instead of, regular medicine.
Answer: What are complementary and integrative therapies?
Rationale: These therapies are added to, or combined with, standard medical care.
This herb is used to help prevent migraine headaches.
What is feverfew?
Rationale: Feverfew is taken regularly to try to reduce how often migraines occur.
This herb is used for trouble sleeping and anxiety because it makes people feel sleepy.
Answer: What is valerian?
Rationale: Valerian has calming and sedating effects, similar to some sleep medicines.
This male urinary health herb should not be used in pregnancy and can increase bleeding with blood thinners.
Answer: What is saw palmetto?
Rationale: It is not safe in pregnancy and may add to the effect of antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs.
Muscle stiffness from multiple sclerosis or spinal cord injury is called this, and is a listed reason to use medical marijuana.
Answer: What is spasticity?
Rationale: Spasticity is one of the qualifying conditions
Because doses and ingredients vary, nurses must always ask patients specifically about using this type of product.
Answer: What are dietary supplements?
Rationale: Knowing which supplements a patient takes helps prevent problems with prescription medications.
This strong‑smelling herb can help lower “bad” cholesterol and triglycerides.
Answer: What is garlic?
Rationale: Garlic is commonly used to support heart and blood vessel health.
This herb is used for mild depression and can also be put on the skin for infections.
Answer: What is St. John’s wort?
Rationale: St. John’s wort acts on serotonin and is often used for mood and minor skin issues.
This depression herb can make birth control pills, warfarin, and many other medicines work less well.
Answer: What is St. John’s wort?
Rationale: It speeds up the breakdown of many drugs, making them less effective.
Which pregnancy category causes teratogenic.
Category X