The C.A.M. Report
Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Fair, Balanced, and to the Point
  • About this web log

    This blog ran from 2006 to 2016 and was intended as an objective and dispassionate source of information on the latest CAM research. Since my background is in pharmacy and allopathic medicine, I view all CAM as advancing through the development pipeline to eventually become integrated into mainstream medical practice. Some will succeed while others fail. But all are treated fairly here.

  • About the author

    John Russo, Jr., PharmD, is president of The MedCom Resource, Inc. Previously, he was senior vice president of medical communications at www.Vicus.com, a complementary and alternative medicine website.

  • Common sense considerations

    The material on this weblog is for informational purposes. It is not medical advice or counsel. Be smart, consult your health professional before using CAM.

  • Recent Posts

  • Recent Comments

    Lumbrokinase: A blood thinner from earthworms

    Lumbrokinase is an anticoagulant (blood thinner) that can be purchased in North America without a prescription. This enzyme comes from earthworms and has been used extensively in Asia since 1992.

    There are published laboratory studies that support its anticoagulant action. So far however, it has been formally studied in just 51 people — 31 patients with stroke and in 7 healthy volunteers (the rest got placebo).

    The company that sells lumbrokinase has a product information sheet that lists its “possible benefits.”

    • “Supports healthy coagulation of blood within normal levels”
    • “May enhance fibrinolytic activity”
    • “Supports healthy blood viscosity within normal levels”

    Despite the experience in Asia, the bottom line for me is that any medical condition that might be treated with lumbrokinase requires the expertise of a medical doctor.

    You can spend as much as $54 for a bottle of 30 capsules. But do it after speaking with your physician.

    11/8/06 08:41 JR

    Leave a Comment

    You must be logged in to post a comment.