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

    Review: Herbal treatments for prementrual syndrome

    Some herb remedies seem useful, according to researchers at the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, in Italy.

    First, the details.

    • Of 102 articles identified, 10 studies were worth including in the review.
    • Differences in study design made it impossible to conduct a meta-analysis.

    And, the results.

    • Vitex agnus castus (aka Vitex, Chaste Tree, Chasteberry, Monk’s Pepper)
      • It was the most studied remedy (4 studies in about 500 women).
      • It consistently ameliorated premenstrual syndrome (PMS) better than placebo.
    • Ginkgo biloba and Crocus sativus
      • Single studies support the use of either.
    • Evening primrose oil and St. John Worth
      • Neither better than placebo.
    • Safety
      • None of the herbs was associated with major health risks.
      • However, so few patients studied that this does not allow definitive conclusions on safety.

    The bottom line?

    The authors concluded, “Some herb remedies seem useful for the treatment of PMS.”

    But there are too few studies to know for sure.

    12/27/10 22:32 JR

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