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

    Herbals I’d like to see more research on in 2007

    Milk thistle and butterbur

    Here’s why.
    Milk thistle

    • It’s true; MayoClinic.com gives milk thistle (Silybum marianum seed extract [silymarin]) just a “C” grade for its role in the treatment of diabetes. In other words, there is “unclear scientific evidence for this use.”
    • But a 2006 study summarized here reported a positive effect on A1c.

    I think milk thistle deserves closer scrutiny.

    Butterbur

    • Two studies published in 2006 and summarized here and here reported the effectiveness of butterbur to treat the runny nose, sneezing, congestion, and irritation in the nose, eyes, throat and ears associated with allergic rhinitis.
    • Another study reported positive effects in patients with atopic asthma patients when butterbur was combined with other treatments.

    Additional well designed studies published in more influential journals would help spread the word about these promising herbals.

    1/1/07 20:43 JR

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