What you don't know can hurt you! Not many people know that most capsules, those used for medicines as well as herbs, are actually not vegetarian. These non-vegetarian capsules, called gelatin capsules, are made from animal by-products, which include cow, horse and/or pig hides and various kinds of connective tissues such as tendons, bones, ligaments; organs and some intestines. There have been numerous concerns about the possible presence of infectious agents in animal by-products, of synthetic hormones, and allergies from the raw materials (animal parts) used to make gelatin. Recent scares of mad cow disease being carried over into gelatin capsules have brought the vegetarian capsule to the forefront of consumer awareness for safety issues. Besides which, Gelatin capsules are not moisture-proof, and moisture entering into capsules can spoil the contents, cause bacterial and fungal growth and mold. You can assume that unless Vegetarian Capsules is written clearly on the label or box of the product you are taking, the capsules are made from gelatin. Vegetarian capsules on the other hand, are made purely from plant cellulose. These are called cellulose capsules. Besides being vegetarian, these capsules also do not carry the above-mentioned risks associated with gelatin capsules. They readily dissolve in the stomach, releasing the contents of the capsule for optimal nutrient absorption through proper digestion. They are not colored with dyes and are considered safer also because neither water nor moisture can penetrate through them. Tablets are another alternative for consuming medicinal herbs, but not one that is recommended. In order to make tablets, herbs need to be pulverized to a powder and then mixed with a binding agent and/or fillers to make the tablet hard; these agents are not necessarily vegetarian either, and further dilute the purity of the herbs. These tablets are often coated with some other substance to make it slide down the throat easily. Pulverizing herbs destroys the delicate cell structure, makes the volatile oils subject to oxidation and reduces overall quality and efficacy of the herbs. About 55,000 tons of animal-sourced gelatin is used every year to produce capsules and tablets for medicinal purposes. Dr. Narendra Singh's comments: Director, International Institute of Herbal Medicine Gelatin capsules are not moisture proof, and are therefore not suitable for hygroscopic preparations i.e. the materials which can absorb moisture from the atmosphere. Moisture and water penetrates through exposed gelatin capsules, which can provide base for bacterial growth and fungus. Moisture does not penetrate through Vegetarian cellulose capsules, and these are therefore free from water or moisture borne bacterial or fungal growth. Most herbs and herbal preparations are hygroscopic in nature (i.e. easily absorb moisture); therefore vegetarian capsules are more suitable for them. Since gelatin is denatured collagen protein from animals, there are chances of allergy and/or idiosyncratic reactions with gelatin capsules. Because of the hormones used in rearing the animals, particularly the oesterogen (estrogen) pellets implanted under the ears, the gelatin is contaminated by xenoestrogens*(see below). This will not happen with vegetarian capsules, which are made from plant cellulose. The herbal tablets, besides other reasons given above also require chemical preservatives to maintain themselves. Addition of chemical preservative may interact with the bioactive substances of the herbs and may change their medicinal value. * Xenoestrogens are novel, man-made compounds, which differ from archiestrogens (ancient, naturally occurring) produced by living organisms. They mimic the effect of other estrogens. "Fibrocystic breast disease provoked by Xenoestrogens that are found in everyday synthetic materials. - These materials were previously thought to be inert. Xeno literally means foreign. So xenoestrogens means foreign estrogens. Some of the 100,000 registered chemicals for use in the world have hormonal effects in addition to toxic and carcinogenic effects. Also the synergistic effects are known to occur but also are largely exactly unknown. The field of xenohormones is new, and only been in existence since about 1991." Elizabeth Smith, MD