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

    Research on Chinese herbals for asthma and allergy

    Medscape has reported the results of 3 studies presented during the American Academy of Asthma, Allergy and Immunology (AAAAI) Annual Meeting.

    Anti-asthma herbal medicine intervention (ASHMI)

    • A 3-herb formulation (GanCao, KuShen, and LingZhi).
    • ASHMI reduced total immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels in patients with allergic asthma.
      • Atopic individuals (those with a predisposition to an allergic reaction) can have up to 10 times the normal level of IgE in their blood.
      • Although this may not be a requirement for symptoms to occur.

    Food Allergy Herbal Formula (FAHF)-2

    • Consists of 9 herbs.
    • 12 patients with a history of peanut, tree nut, fish, or shellfish allergy completed this dose-escalation study.
      • 2.2, 3.3, or 6.6 grams 3 times daily for 7 days.
    • It seems safe.

    Traditional Chinese medicine

    • 14 children were treated with Erka Shizheng herbal tea, bath additives, creams, and acupuncture.
    • The researchers confirmed the content of the herbals before use.
    • A 60% to 90% reduction in atopic dermatitis was reported in 13 of the 14 patients after 3.3 months.
    • More than a 50% improvement in Dermatology Life-Quality Index scores was recorded in 13 of 14 patients in 2.4 months.
    • Peripheral eosinophilia (sign of an allergic reaction) decreased significantly, with no change in total blood counts.
    • There were no liver- or kidney-function-test abnormalities.
    • Patients reported a reduction in use of steroids, antibiotics, and antihistamines within 3 months of treatment.

    3/24/09 16:09 JR

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