David Weimer

Herbal products have become big business in the United States. Infomercials, radio and television commercials, and print ads trumpet the benefits of natural remedies for various illnesses or as aids for weight loss or in programs to stop smoking. These products are commonly described as “all-natural” and draw on the common belief that if something is natural it must be safe. But does this belief have any scientific basis? Native peoples often have used plants to treat disease or illness, and both traditional remedies and other plants have given rise to many of the drugs used in Western medicine. However, many natural materials are highly toxic, and some natural products are useful precisely because they are highly toxic. In this presentation, examples of both the beneficial and harmful compounds found in nature will be presented.

Chair, Department of Chemistry