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.

Im 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, its 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. Its known as a very good anti-inflammatory.

Its 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.

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Special Assignment: Dangers of herbal medicine