The high cost of some western medicine is pushing more and more people to turn to alternative medicine.  Jose Rodolfo Fierro is one of those people.   He came to his local market in Juarez, Mexico to buy a natural herb known as cundeamor.

“I’m trying to get some medicine for a relative that lives in the States, El Paso. He told me to get some kind of medicine... He's a diabetic.  He was told that if he was using this type of medicine he might get better. So he is willing to try,” says Rodolfo Fierro.

Turns out, a lot of people in the borderland are willing to try natural herbs.

“On both the U-S and Mexico side about 70 percent of the people in Juarez and El Paso use some sort of herbal medicine. That's more than double the national mainstream,” says Dr. Armando Gonzalez-Stuart.

Gonzalez-Stuart works at El Paso Community College and specializes in the scientific application of herbal medicine. He says there are more than five 5,000 different medicinal plants in Mexico alone.

Walking through markets in Juarez, it’s easy to find plants used to treat nervous disorders, urinary problems and gastrointestinal conditions, just to name a few.

 Chuchupate is the root of a plant.  It’s known as a very good anti-inflammatory.

“It’s good for the respiratory and gastrointestinal systems. And recent studies have found is be good for diabetes,” says Dr. Gonzalez-Stuart.

 Worldwide, only about 10 percent of all possible medicinal herbs have been studied.  Some of the more common include echinacea, chamomile and St. John's wort.

It's estimated the vast majority of those taking alternative medicine in the borderland fail to tell their doctor.  Some don't think it's important to share the information, while others fear their physician may dismiss the practice.

And that’s a problem.  The interaction of some herbs with modern medicine can be dangerous, if not deadly.

Dr. Jose Rivera was consulted for the treatment of a man at University Medical Center in El Paso. The patient had recently undergone surgery in Juarez.  He showed up in the ER with non-stop bleeding.

It was later discovered the man was taking a natural medicine called te gastronol.

 “One of the possible reasons why the patient was bleeding was because it contained an ingredient that can inhibit coagulation. So you can bleed,” says Rivera. 

Rivera believes both patients and doctors need to educate themselves on alternative medicine. The trend is becoming more popular, especially in today's economy.

“Most of these products are very, very low price. And that's why people can afford them.  Modern medications from the medical and pharmaceutical industry are very expensive,” says Gonzalez-Stuart.

Jose now plans to deliver more than herbs to his family across the border. This time he will bring a warning:  Make sure your doctor knows what you're taking on the side.