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University of Minnesota
Herbal Medicine
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University of Minnesota

Herbal Medicine

This course is part of Integrative Health and Medicine Specialization

Amy Taylor, MD

Instructor: Amy Taylor, MD

42,057 already enrolled

Included with Coursera Plus

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7 modules
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.9

(834 reviews)

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

Recommended experience

Intermediate level

Practicing healthcare professional or healthcare student, but anyone can benefit from this course for personal use.

Flexible schedule
2 weeks at 10 hours a week
Learn at your own pace
99%
Most learners liked this course

7 modules
Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.
4.9

(834 reviews)

Intermediate level

Recommended experience

Recommended experience

Intermediate level

Practicing healthcare professional or healthcare student, but anyone can benefit from this course for personal use.

Flexible schedule
2 weeks at 10 hours a week
Learn at your own pace
99%
Most learners liked this course
  • About
  • Outcomes
  • Modules
  • Recommendations
  • Testimonials
  • Reviews

What you'll learn

  • Discuss the role of herbal medicines in healthcare overall as well as your potential role.

  • Discuss overall botanical actions and methods for creating botanical preparations.

  • Assess patients, including potential for herb-drug interactions and other potential contraindications and considerations for special populations.

  • Educate patients on quality control and safety issues.

Skills you'll gain

  • Health Care Procedure and Regulation
  • Drug Interaction
  • Patient Evaluation
  • Mental Health
  • Patient Safety
  • Medical Science and Research
  • Pharmacotherapy
  • Pharmacology
  • Patient Education And Counseling
  • Gynecology
  • Respiratory Care
  • Contraindication
  • Health And Safety Standards

Details to know

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Assessments

12 assignments¹

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Taught in English

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This course is part of the Integrative Health and Medicine Specialization
When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.
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There are 7 modules in this course

There is strong demand for alternatives to pharmaceuticals for a variety of common illnesses due to concerns of safety, efficacy, and a desire for more “natural” products. Despite this growing interest, “conventional” healthcare providers may have little to no knowledge about herbal medicines, which is further compounded by the sometimes misleading information in the media and on the internet. This course provides the necessary background for providers to begin to incorporate herbal medicines into their practice, particularly in regards to their therapeutic properties, efficacy (or lack thereof), and safety concerns, including quality control and potential adverse effects.

Continuing Education Credit This course has been designed to meet Minnesota Board of Nursing continuing education requirements for 16 contact hours and may be eligible for CE credit from other professional boards that allow self-documenting of continuing education activities. It is your responsibility to check with your regulatory board to confirm this course meets your local requirements and, if necessary, to provide them with the certificate of completion you get if you pay for and fulfill all the requirements of this course.

This module covers essential knowledge that ensures you are starting with a clear understanding of what herbal medicine is, how it is regulated, and why botanical medicine can be challenging to research. This will set you up for success as you move forward in the course and apply it to your professional life. 

What's included

11 videos5 readings1 assignment2 discussion prompts

11 videos•Total 76 minutes
  • Introduction to this Course•2 minutes
  • What is Herbal Medicine and How is it Used?•7 minutes
  • Are Dietary Supplements and Natural Medicines also Botanicals?•4 minutes
  • How are Botanicals Different than Pharmaceuticals?•8 minutes
  • Case Study: Sophia, 26•6 minutes
  • Who’s Using Botanical Medicines?•10 minutes
  • Your Role as a Healthcare Provider•9 minutes
  • Case Study: Enrique, 58•10 minutes
  • Botanical Laws and Regulations in the U.S.•3 minutes
  • Challenges in Botanical Medicine Research•6 minutes
  • Evaluating and Selecting Research Sources•6 minutes
5 readings•Total 26 minutes
  • Comparing Pharmaceuticals and Botanicals•5 minutes
  • Assess, Educate, Advise Model•5 minutes
  • DSHEA Quick Facts•5 minutes
  • Checklist for Evaluating a Research Study•10 minutes
  • Week 1 References•1 minute
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
  • Botanical Basics•30 minutes
2 discussion prompts•Total 20 minutes
  • Challenges with Recommending Botanicals•10 minutes
  • Botanical Laws and Regulations from Around the World•10 minutes

Now that you’ve gotten an overview of the field of herbal medicine, we’ll identify some important cautions to keep in mind when using botanicals, including contaminants, herb-drug interactions, product quality measures, and safety guidelines. By the end of this week you’ll be equipped with the skills you need to identify quality products and assess if a patient is a good candidate for botanicals.

What's included

5 videos6 readings4 assignments1 discussion prompt

5 videos•Total 31 minutes
  • Contaminants and Adulterants•5 minutes
  • How Do Botanicals Interact with Pharmaceuticals?•6 minutes
  • Special Patient Populations•6 minutes
  • Third-Party Testing of Botanicals•5 minutes
  • Shopping for Botanicals•7 minutes
6 readings•Total 60 minutes
  • A Closer Look at Contaminants and Adulterants•15 minutes
  • Your Role as a Healthcare Provider•10 minutes
  • Common Botanicals That May Cause Herb-Drug Interactions•15 minutes
  • Risks for Pregnant and Breastfeeding Patients•5 minutes
  • Third-Party Testing Organizations•10 minutes
  • Safety Guidelines for Purchasing Botanicals•5 minutes
4 assignments•Total 115 minutes
  • A Day at the Clinic•30 minutes
  • Herb-Drug Interactions•30 minutes
  • Recommending Botanicals to Special Populations•30 minutes
  • Third-Party Testing Organizations Web Review•25 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 20 minutes
  • What advice would you give patients when purchasing botanicals?•20 minutes

In this module we’ll be taking a deeper look at how botanical medicines work. What is an adaptogen? When should you recommend a carminative? How do you make a botanical preparation? You’ll also have the chance to discuss with your peers about the potential impact on healthcare systems if more patients knew how to make botanical preparations.

What's included

9 videos3 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt

9 videos•Total 43 minutes
  • What Are Botanical Actions?•3 minutes
  • Botanical Actions for Pain and Stress•5 minutes
  • Botanical Actions for Gastrointestinal and Upper Respiratory Ailments•6 minutes
  • Botanical Actions that Support the Immune and Nervous Systems•5 minutes
  • What are Botanical Preparations?•5 minutes
  • Water-Based Preparations•4 minutes
  • Other Preparation Types•5 minutes
  • DIY Herbal Infusion•2 minutes
  • DIY Herbal Macerate•3 minutes
3 readings•Total 30 minutes
  • Botanical Actions Reference Sheet•15 minutes
  • Botanical Preparations Reference Sheet•10 minutes
  • Make Your Own Herbal Infusions and Macerates•5 minutes
2 assignments•Total 40 minutes
  • Botanical Actions and Preparations Workshop•10 minutes
  • Types of Botanical Preparations•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
  • Potential impact on healthcare systems•10 minutes

In this module we’ll discuss botanicals that can help manage symptoms related to mental health, women’s health, and musculoskeletal pain. You’ll get some handy reference sheets that you can use for quick access to information on uses and precautions, and we’ll identify the level of evidence for each botanical in the research guides.

What's included

7 videos12 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt

7 videos•Total 22 minutes
  • Week 4 Introduction•3 minutes
  • Botanicals for Mental Wellbeing•4 minutes
  • Botanicals for Women's Health•3 minutes
  • Botanicals for Musculoskeletal Pain•2 minutes
  • Botanicals for Migraine Headaches•2 minutes
  • Peppermint Essential Oil for Headaches•3 minutes
  • Assessing, Educating, and Advising Patients•1 minute
12 readings•Total 135 minutes
  • Botanicals for Mental Wellbeing•15 minutes
  • Botanicals for Mental Wellbeing Reference Sheet•15 minutes
  • Botanicals for Mental Wellbeing Research Guide•15 minutes
  • Botanicals for Women’s Health•15 minutes
  • Botanicals for Women’s Health Reference Sheet•15 minutes
  • Botanicals for Women’s Health Research Guide•15 minutes
  • Botanicals for Musculoskeletal Pain•10 minutes
  • Botanicals for Musculoskeletal Pain Reference Sheet•10 minutes
  • Botanicals for Musculoskeletal Pain Research Guide•10 minutes
  • Botanicals for Migraine Headaches•5 minutes
  • Botanicals for Migraine Headaches Reference Sheet•5 minutes
  • Botanicals for Migraine Headaches Research Guide•5 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
  • Latisha, Maria, and George•20 minutes
  • Assessing, Educating, and Advising Patients•40 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 20 minutes
  • What are some challenges with patient-friendly language?•20 minutes

In this module we’ll explore botanicals that can be used for upper respiratory and skin conditions. You will also continue to learn how to assess, educate, and advise patients on botanicals from a real-life scenario.

What's included

3 videos7 readings1 assignment

3 videos•Total 10 minutes
  • Week 5 Introduction•3 minutes
  • Botanicals for Upper Respiratory Conditions•4 minutes
  • Botanicals for Skin Conditions•2 minutes
7 readings•Total 80 minutes
  • Botanicals for Upper Respiratory Conditions•15 minutes
  • Botanicals for Upper Respiratory Conditions Reference Sheet•15 minutes
  • Botanicals for Upper Respiratory Conditions Research Guide•15 minutes
  • What's the Difference Between Colds and Influenza?•5 minutes
  • Botanicals for Skin Conditions•10 minutes
  • Botanicals for Skin Conditions Reference Sheet•10 minutes
  • Botanicals for Skin Conditions Research Guide•10 minutes
1 assignment•Total 30 minutes
  • Heinrich and Mai•30 minutes

What's included

1 video1 reading1 peer review

1 video•Total 2 minutes
  • Final Project Criteria•2 minutes
1 reading•Total 10 minutes
  • Final Project Criteria and Examples•10 minutes
1 peer review•Total 60 minutes
  • Botanicals for Symptom Management•60 minutes

In this module we will discuss botanicals that can help manage symptoms related to GERD, GI and liver disorders, and UTIs.

What's included

5 videos9 readings2 assignments1 discussion prompt

5 videos•Total 18 minutes
  • Week 6 Introduction•7 minutes
  • Botanicals for GERD•2 minutes
  • Botanicals for Gastrointestinal and Liver Disorders•4 minutes
  • Botanicals for Urinary Tract Infections•2 minutes
  • Course Summary and Possible Next Steps•2 minutes
9 readings•Total 55 minutes
  • Botanicals for GERD•5 minutes
  • Botanicals for GERD Reference Sheet•5 minutes
  • Botanicals for GERD Research Guide•5 minutes
  • Botanicals for Gastrointestinal and Liver Disorders•10 minutes
  • Botanicals for Gastrointestinal and Liver Disorders Reference Sheet•5 minutes
  • Botanicals for Gastrointestinal and Liver Disorders Research Guide•10 minutes
  • Botanicals for Urinary Tract Infections•5 minutes
  • Botanicals for Urinary Tract Infections Reference Sheet•5 minutes
  • Botanicals for Urinary Tract Infections Research Guide•5 minutes
2 assignments•Total 60 minutes
  • Holly, Selena, Robert, and Amirah•30 minutes
  • Personal Reflection Activity•30 minutes
1 discussion prompt•Total 10 minutes
  • Share Your Personal Reflection•10 minutes

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Instructor

Instructor ratings

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We asked all learners to give feedback on our instructors based on the quality of their teaching style.

4.9 (346 ratings)
Amy Taylor, MD
Amy Taylor, MD
University of Minnesota
1 Course•42,057 learners

Offered by

University of Minnesota

Offered by

University of Minnesota

The University of Minnesota is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation’s most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

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Learner reviews

4.9

834 reviews

  • 5 stars

    88.98%

  • 4 stars

    10.05%

  • 3 stars

    0.71%

  • 2 stars

    0.23%

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Showing 3 of 834

Z
ZD
5

Reviewed on Sep 20, 2020

Although I have already learned a lot regarding botanical treatments, I got a few very precious new infos during the course. Really enjoyed the videos and the well structured material. Thank you!

O
OO
5

Reviewed on Jul 14, 2020

Excellent course, excellent presentation and the evaluations were top notch. I will recommend it for everyone interested in knowing more about Nutraceuticals.

J
JF
5

Reviewed on Sep 15, 2020

I'm glad to be a part of this course. As it changed my entire perspective about utilizing botanicals. And I have learned that which type of data should be searched about to gather information.

View more reviews
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Frequently asked questions

This course has been designed to meet Minnesota Board of Nursing continuing education (CE) requirements for 15 contact hours and may be eligible for CE credit from other professional boards that allow self-documenting of continuing education activities. It is your responsibility to check with your regulatory board to confirm this course meets your local requirements and, if necessary, to provide them with the certificate of completion you get if you pay for and fulfill all the requirements of this course.

To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions

Visit the learner help center

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¹ Some assignments in this course are AI-graded. For these assignments, your data will be used in accordance with Coursera's Privacy Notice.

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