In an article in Harvard business review, trust has three components. I am using that as a framework to explain the state of the herbal and Ayurvedic products as they exist today.
Positive relationships with customers, internal stakeholders, and external stakeholders that includes regulators
Expertise/good judgment supported with knowledge, knowledge, and scientific evidence.
Consistency: Products offer what they claim and with consistency
There are very few herbal medicine products in North America and Europe that have secured regulatory approval from authorized drug regulators. Some products have been given GRAS (Generally recognized as safe) certification from the USFDA. There is a small segment of people in these regions that are supporters of these products. However, large parts of society, in general, are skeptical.
Human clinical trials that prove the safety and efficacy of most herbal formulations have not been conducted. Most of the scientific work has not gone beyond animal trials.
Good manufacturing practices at the core of producing consistent products and formulations are confined to a small number of herbal formulations.
The above generic analysis presents a bleak picture of public trust in herbal formulations, especially in the developed parts of the world.
However, in China, the backing of the state has led to the development of a high degree of trust for Traditional Chinese Medicine formulations. These formulations are now offered routinely along with modern medicine in that region.
Additional reading:
Natural Solutions tri-series (cancer, diabetes, and obesity)
Holy Herbs: Modern Connections to Ancient Plants
Asian Herbs and their wondrous health-giving properties