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

    Acute liver disease associated with taking aloe vera by mouth

    It has been reported in 3 people.

    Most recently, a 73-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with acute hepatitis. Her medication history and laboratory tests revealed no clues as to the source of the problem. Finally, during an extensive medication history by a clinical pharmacist, she admitted using oral aloe vera capsules for constipation. Stopping the aloe vera lead to a return to normal liver function.

    Other reports in a young man and a 57-year old woman were published in the past 2 years.

    The bottom line?

    The authors of the latest report caution, “Clinicians faced with a case of acute hepatitis that is not readily diagnosed should question patients about herbal use.”

    Apparently, the interviewer must be persistent — and patients more forthcoming.

    An article by Drs. Amitava Dasgupta and David Bernard at the University of Texas-Houston Medical School reviews the varied effects of herbal remedies on laboratory tests. It includes a section on herbal-associated hepatitis.

    • Kava
    • Chaparral
    • Germander
    • Mistletoe

    9/21/07 16:43 JR

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