A botanical dietary supplement is a plant-based dietary supplement valued for its medicinal or therapeutic properties, flavor, and/or scent.
To be classified as a dietary supplement, a botanical must meet the definition given below. Many botanical preparations meet the definition.
As defined by Congress in the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (www.fda.gov/opacom/laws/dshea.html#sec3), which became law in 1994, a dietary supplement is a product (other than tobacco) that:
* is intended to supplement the diet;
* contains one or more dietary ingredients (including vitamins, minerals, herbs or other botanicals, amino acids, and other substances) or their constituents;
* is intended to be taken by mouth as a pill, capsule, tablet, or liquid; and
* is labeled on the front panel as being a dietary supplement.
For more information go to: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/botanicalbackground/.
