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

    A critical review of herbals to treat anxiety and depression

    In 2003, Professor Edzard Ernst writing on the Cochrane Collaboration website concluded, “Compared with placebo, kava extract is an effective symptomatic treatment for anxiety although, at present, the size of the effect seems small.”

    His findings were based on a reanalysis of the data (meta-analysis) from 7 studies, in which there was significant reduction in the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) scores for patients receiving kava extract compared with patients receiving placebo. (More on HAM-A here). The results from 5 other studies supported this conclusion.

    Now, writing in Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, he reiterates this conclusion and adds that St. John’s wort is effect treatment for depression.

    Here is a list of other herbals.

    • Ginkgo biloba
    • Lavandula angustifolia (Lavender)
    • Valeriana officinalis (Valerian)
    • Crataegus oxyacantha (Hawthorn)
    • Eschscholzia californica (California poppy)
    • Matricaria recutita (Chamomile)
    • Melissa officinalis (Lemon balm)
    • Passiflora incarnate (Passionflower)

    They lack scientific support for the treatment of anxiety and/or depression, according to Professor Ernst.

    Before you take kava, read this.

    7/13/07 10:40 JR

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