Focus
Our products are designed for and sold exclusively to health care professionals. We carry over 500 products made from over 320 species, including unusual, rare, and low-dose botanicals.
We provide critical details about each product, such as weight-to-volume ratio, solvent makeup of each menstruum, alternatives, ingredient sources, formulation suggestions, and research citations, when available.
History
In 1982, Dr. Silena Heron founded Heron Botanicals, Inc. under the name Botanical Pharmaceuticals to provide the best quality herbal preparations for use in her practice as a naturopathic physician. Later, she renamed the company Elan Botanicals (meaning vigor and liveliness) to emphasize the company's use of fresh and potent ingredients. Dr. Heron sold the company in November 2001 so she could focus on curing herself of cancer.
Heron Botanicals president Jeffrey Bodony and vice president Liz Matteson run an organic farm in western Washington and produced the ointments for Heron Botanicals for many years. Vice president Eric Yarnell, ND, RH studied and collaborated with Dr. Heron for half a decade.
Under the new ownership, Heron Botanicals retained its identity as an extensive and exclusive pharmacy making tinctures in batches of only a few gallons at a time. Our discriminating clients rely on us to provide them with a wide variety of products of uncompromised quality and vitality.
Philosphy
We know the quality of our medicine depends on the vitality of the raw material. Our extensive knowledge, derived from Western, Native American, and other perspectives on botanical medicine, of when herbs should be optimally harvested translates into superb herbal extracts. Over the past 20 years, we have developed a network of organic growers and conscientious wildcrafters who are willing to pick our herbs at the peak of their medicinal potency and quickly ship them to us.
With the addition of our own organic farming capacity for some of the herbs we gained further control over our herbs' all-important growing conditions. Our efforts result in putting our plants under menstruum within 24 hours of harvest.
In most cases, fresh, whole plants provide the best source for extraction of the complete range of active constituents of an herb. A growing body of evidence suggests that whole plant extracts are more active, more broadly active, or safer than their constituents in isolation.
For example, the flavonoids of Artemisia annua (sweet wormwood) have been shown to potentiate the anti-malarial effects of artemisinin, though the flavenoids themselves are devoid of such activity in isolation. (Liu KCS, Yang SY, Roberts MF, et al. The contribution of flavonoids to the antimalarial activity of Artemisia annua. Planta Medica 1989;55:654-4.) Constituents in Zingiber officinale (ginger) interact to reduce one another's toxicity - zingerone decreases the mutagenicity of 6-gingerol and shogaol seen in vitro. (Nakamura H, Yamamoto T. Mutagen and antimutagen in ginger, Zingiber officinale. Mutation Research 1982;103:119-26.) Many other examples could be cited.
We use a heat-free extraction process, assuring the intact retention of glycosides and other fragile constituents. All fresh plants are so designated in our catalog.
In a few instances, plants must be dried and then extracted to prevent dilution from excessive water weight in the fresh state. When working with Chinese herbs traditionally made into tea or soup we first extract them with hot water then add ethanol and glycerin to the menstruum.
Reducing Our Environmental Footprint
Heron Botanicals has continued to strengthen our commitment to reducing energy use and otherwise decreasing the amount of impact we have on the natural environment. To this end, we have worked hard for the past two years to find suppliers in the United States to replace the products we used to import from Europe. Similarly we are trying to obtain Chinese herbs from American growers whenever possible. This saves a lot of fuel by reducing shipping across the oceans. It also allows us to obtain fresh herbs at peak quality, rather than dried herbs that are sometimes not as potent. We have also switched to obtaining more herbs locally in the Pacific Northwest.
At times, these changes may mean that we sometimes carry species that are at first unfamiliar. For example, we currently stock Pulsatilla patens instead of the more familiar Pulsatilla vulgaris. The two species are medicinally interchangeable, yet P. patens may not appear as immediately familiar. Rest assured any time we have substituted a less commonly known species, we have researched carefully to insure it is clinically indistinguishable.
To help us in our aims, we also ask that you consider changing some of your prescribing habits with ecological considerations in mind. A good example of this would be to substitute the many other herbs with similar actions for Hydrastis canadensis (goldenseal). Arguments about the sustainability of wild populations of this herb aside, the expense of shipping it across the country to the Pacific Northwest doesn't really make sense when we have the local alternative of Mahonia aquifolium (Oregon grape). If you really want to have the astringent effects of goldenseal not found in Oregon grape, combine a little Rubus leucodermis (raspberry) root with it. Consider substituting the native Oplopanax horridus (devil's club) for Panax ginseng (Asian ginseng). To be economically viable we have to supply the products you demand, so we can only fully implement our desired ecological changes if you the customer are willing to support it by changing your buying habits.
Anyone with questions about ecological substitutes should not hesitate to contact us.
The Quality Conundrum
Every herb company advertises its products as being “high quality.” They couldn't possibly sell anything branded “low quality” or “shop-floor scrapings.” But the definition of quality is often left out. When a definition is given, it is almost never supported by evidence proving that the definition matters.
Rather than harping on vague notions of quality or making unsubstantiated marketing claims, we have certain ideas about how to make tinctures that we believe are important but we focus on other issues.
We have ideas about how to best obtain or grow herbs and prepare whole-plant tinctures, glycerites, and related products from them. Unfortunately, we do not have sufficient funds to prove that our methods result in “quality” products —this would truthfully require clinical trials on every product, an enormous task. Instead we base our choices on organoleptic testing (our final products look, smell, and taste like the herbs they are made from) and feedback from our customers that our products are clinically effective.
We have begun a small-scale program to test constituent profiles between
our tinctures and standardized extracts, and to then carry this to small
clinical trials to hopefully show that “standardization” is not the only
way to create a clinically effective product.
Policies
Shipping
Orders are usually shipped with 24-48 hours of receipt via UPS.
On orders at or over $250, we now offer either:
- free ground shipping, or;
- $5.00 off air shipping for each $100 ordered.
On orders under $250 but at or above $100, we waive the handling charges.
On orders under $100 but at or above $50, we charge a $5.00 handling fee plus the actual full shipping cost for surface or air shipping.
On orders under $50, we charge a $10.00 handling charge plus the actual full shipping cost for surface or air shipping.
The handling fee is waived if you or your patient picks up the product or if you are a student ordering through a Heron representative. You are responsible for any return shipment charges.
Shipping to Canada
Orders to Canada are shipped air parcel post insured.
On orders over $250(US) we pay the first $5 of the shipping fees.
On orders under $250(US) but at or above $100(US), we waive the handling charges.
On orders under $100(US) but at or above $50(US) we charge a $5 handling charge as well as full shipping costs.
On orders under $50, we charge a $10 handling fee as well as full shippng costs.
The handling fee is waived if you or your patient picks up the product or if you are a student ordering through a Heron representative. You are responsible for customs or return shipment charges. Payment must be in US funds.
Shipping to Countries Other than the United States or Canada
Sorry--shipping to other countries is not presently available.
Shipping to Patients
We will drop-ship to your patient (with all billing to your office in all cases) for an additional $3 per order. Your name and phone number will appear on the label. All regular shipping policies also apply. Patients may NOT contact us for refills of drop-shipped items. We cannot drop-ship without your dosing instructions for the label.
Credit Terms
Initial payment terms are prepayment by Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or COD. Once you have established credit with us (usually after one year), terms are "net 15." A finance charge of 1.5% per month will be added to invoices more than 30 days over. If any invoice goes more than 120 days overdue the account may be sent to collections. No new orders will be allowed until the account is brought current, and terms will automatically revert to COD or credit card. If more than three invoices go more than 60 days overdue in a 12 month period, terms will also revert to COD or credit card. We reserve the right to alter your terms with notification at any time. Returned checks incur a $20 charge and automatically revert terms to COD or credit card. We add $8.50 for all COD orders because UPS charges us this additional fee.
Errors in the Order
Errors on our part are cheerfully rectified if they are reported within seven days of receipt. We can accept returns only if tamper-evident seals are still intact and only within 14 days of sale. There is a 20% restocking fee for returns not due to our error. Call for return authorization in any case.
Damage to Orders
Damage in transit should be reported to UPS (or other shipper) immediately. File a claim and save the original packaging and paperwork. We cannot accept any responsibility for damage caused by any shipper.
New Graduate Discount
We offer a 10% discount on all products for the first year of practice for new graduates in any profession trained in the use of botanical medicine and to all students of natural medicine. Such sales must go through an approved student representative.
Clinical Consultation
Dr. Yarnell is available during most regular business hours for phone consultation on matters pertaining to our products and the clinical use of botanical medicines in general. He is also available to answer faxed or emailed questions as required.
Mr. Bodony and Ms. Matteson are available for questions about quality control and the sustainable cultivation and wildcrafting of botanicals during most regular business hours.
Consultations with Dr. Heron can also be arranged with sufficient prior notice. Alternately, Heron Botanical customers can submit written questions they would like Dr. Heron to address.
If you have any other questions, including non-technical questions about an order or your account, don't hesitate to call or email us.
Personnel
Jeffrey Bodony, President
Jeffrey Bodony oversees product manufacturing and quality control. He has been growing and studying plants all his life. As a result of his own experience with cancer in 1989, he has been cultivating and studying the plant people and their medicinal values intensively through popular literature, traditional herbals, consultation with Dr. Heron, and personal experience in the pharmacy and in the field. He has completed college-level course work in botany, organic chemistry, biochemistry, and mycology. He also serves the community by providing healing ceremonies to those in need.
Liz Matteson, Vice President
Liz Matteson oversees product manufacturing and quality control. She has been program coordinator for several environmental education centers, co-owned a successful Puget Sound restaurant, and worked at an internationally-recognized nursery where her responsibilities included mail order, customer relations, and plant propagation.
"Mr. Bodony and Ms. Matteson have a small farm in Oregon where they currently grow over sixty medicinal herbs. Since 2000, they have provided apprenticeships and internships for young people interested in organic agriculture and medicinal herbs."
Eric Yarnell, ND, Vice President
Eric Yarnell, ND, graduated from Bastyr University in 1996 and has practiced in Denver, Sedona, Phoenix, and Seattle. After a two year residency with Dr. Heron, he became chair of the department of botanical medicine at Southwest College of Naturopathic Medicine. He is a founding member and current president of the Botanical Medicine Academy. Dr. Yarnell is associate professor of botanical medicine at Bastyr University. He is past senior editor of the Journal of Naturopathic Medicine. He is president of Healing Mountain Publishing, Inc. and is the author of numerous textbooks including Naturopathic Gastroenterology and Naturopathic Urology and Men's Health. Dr. Yarnell oversees marketing and order fulfillment. He is available for clinical consultation by all Heron Botanicals' customers.
Dr. Silena Heron, ND, Founder (1946-2005)
Silena Heron, ND, founder and namesake of Heron Botanicals, passed away in October 2005 after a long struggle with ovarian cancer. She was a psychiatric and critical care nurse and then an herbalist for many years before obtaining her naturopathic degree from Bastyr University in 1988, where she was the founding chair of botanical medicine. Dr. Heron maintained a busy family practice in Sedona, Arizona for years, as well as teaching and lecturing around the country and writing on botanical medicine. She was a founding member and vice president of the Botanical Medicine Academy, a recogonized specialty society of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians dedicated to developing voluntary certifications for practitioners of botanical medicine. She left medicine in 2000 to focus on treating her ovarian cancer. Dr. Heron will be sorely missed but her vision and beliefs will live on in Heron Botanicals and all those she touched.
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copyright 2006 by Heron Botanicals
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