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

    Goji berries: super fruit or super hype?

    Time Magazine named the Himalayan Goji berry as the breakout superfruit of the year!

    It’s promoted to

    • protect the liver
    • help eyesight
    • improve sexual function and fertility
    • strengthen the legs
    • boost immune function
    • improve circulation
    • promote longevity

    Wow! That’s enough for me..

    …to look for evidenced-based support.

    The usual cost of a bottle of Himalayan Goji Juice is $50. If you act now, you can get it for $34.95.

    Is it worth the money?

    Probably not, based on the scientific data, of which, there is little.

    • In 66 Chinese with stable asthma, including Lycium chinense in a mixture of 7 herbs resulted in improved breathing after 10 weeks of treatment
    • In 70 Chinese patients with various cancers, combining Lycium barbarum with interleukin-2 (IL-2) plus lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells resulted in a better response rate and remissions in patients taking Lycium barbarum

    Sounds good, except both studies are more than 10 years old and the outcomes have never been confirmed.

    That’s it.

    Green tea is cheaper and probably just as good — at least.

    9/2/06 21:34 JR

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