Do herbs go 'bad'?

[outdamnspot]

I've had some powdered Haritaki in a package in the cupboard for approx. the past 2 months. I went to use some last night and noticed I couldn't close the packet again .. it seemed to be damaged. I'm not sure if it was properly sealed, therefore, beforehand while it was sitting around. It may have been a coincidence -- since it causes 'die-off' and makes me very nauseous, but I ended up vomiting it up this time, which has never happened.

I've transferred what's left to a sealed container now, but was wondering if herbs can actively spoil or go bad, or do they just lose their potency?

 

[outdamnspot]

I should add I'd also had some lactose accidentally that day, which causes a massive symptom-flare .. so that combined with the Haritaki is what could have caused the vomiting.

 

[pamojja]

if herbs can actively spoil or go bad, or do they just lose their potency?

Allegedly powdered Ayurvedic herbs loose much of their potency after 1 year, capsuled about 2 years, in pill form loss of potency takes even longer. Herbs could go bad in humid conditions.

 

[jesse's mom]

https://www.quora.com/Do-ayurvedic-medicines-expire
This is the article I found, hope it helps. I have no idea why the link didn't work
I also found another article that states people with exhaustion should not take this herb.
I don't know if you are taking it for constipation, but I know that when my daughter is very constipated she will vomit any medication or herb when she is just about to have a great poop.
I hope you feel better, whatever the cause.

 

[outdamnspot]

@pamojja @jesse's mom thank I had googled and found stuff saying it takes a while for them to go bad. However, I presume that's when sealed properly. In this case, I was worried about the fact the packet might not have been closed properly and so wondered if air possibly entering it could have affected things? Also, @jesse's mom lots of articles also recommend that herb for energy; I am very fatigued/weak and have never found it makes me worse.

 

[jesse's mom]

@outdamnspot I would toss it if I had any doubt. I hope you feel better with the nausea and vomiting.
I wish you all the best.

My grandmother told me when in doubt throw it out. She was a pretty smart lady.

 

[Carl]

Herbs can go off because there will be bacteria/yeasts/fungi present on them. However I would not expect a herb to deteriorate badly in 2 months. Having air in them will probably speed it up.

Haritaki has efflux pump inhibiting properties so if you took anything close to it which had any antimicrobial properties then there could be an effect against the bacteria in your stomach. That might of been what happened more than the herb being off.

I wasn't aware that lactulose had any antimicrobial properties but it is meant to promote certain bacteria in the colon.

 

[SilverbladeTE]

not trying to be mean or anything, just the thread title kind of hit my funny bone in a weird way

"Can herbs go bad...?"

 

[jesse's mom]

not trying to be mean or anything, just the thread title kind of hit my funny bone in a weird way

"Can herbs go bad...?"

 

[Kenshin]

Dried herbs usually last a long time in cupboard conditions, and don't "go bad", though will eventually get "stale", losing the most volatile terpenes first (the aroma's that evaporate at the lowest temperatures).

The small change in chemical composition over months or years can cause the herb to produce a different effect,
this is observable with marijuana which usually improves over the first year of storage before gradually declining in potency. The older one will usually taste better due to breakdown of chlorophyll.

In the case you describe however I would assume it more likely to be a change in your body on the day/time you took it and you vomited, at least in my experience I've taken the same dose of a herb which one day was fine but the next caused nausia.

 

[tumbleweed]

was wondering if herbs can actively spoil or go bad, or do they just lose their potency?

I've bought dried herbs for cooking with many times that were not used within a sensible time period and they smelled like they had turned into compost.