“The wolfsbane I should dread;
Nor will I dreary rosemarye,
That always mourns the dead;
But I will woo the dainty rose,
With her cheeks of tender red.” …Thomas Hood
Wolfsbane (Aconitum napellus, aconite, monkshood) is sometimes included in herbal remedies to treat inflammation, pain, musculoskeletal problems (eg arthritis), and heart problems. Continue reading Wolfsbane: Uses, risks, and admonitions
GW Pharmaceuticals has announced that its major study of Sativex in 339 patients with central neuropathic pain due to multiple sclerosis (MS) failed to provide adequate pain relieve in patients who had failed conventional therapy previously. Continue reading Cannabis drug fails in neuropathic pain due to MS
Caught in the act by the FDA, Herbal Science International, Inc. (aka Jen-On Herbal Science International, Inc.) is recalling 12 dietary supplements that contain ephedra, aristolochic acid, or human placenta.
Human placenta! Continue reading Consumer alert: 12 dietary herbal supplements
Dr. Ethan Russo (no relation) is a consultant for GW Pharmaceuticals and a proponent of medical marijuana.
This article is the latest justification that “migraine, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, and related conditions display common clinical, biochemical and pathophysiological patterns that suggest an underlying clinical endocannabinoid deficiency that may be suitably treated with cannabinoid medicines.†Continue reading Making a case for an endocannabinoid deficiency
Pycnogenol is a scavenger of oxygen free radicals. Here’s the latest in a series of positive studies. Continue reading Treating osteoarthritis with pycnogenol
I came across this website and a review that recite the purported benefits of Rhodiola rosea (Sedum roseum; rose root). The story is remarkably similar to the story told at almost all other sites. (Google “Rhodiola rosea” to see what I mean.)
But what does the research really reveal? Continue reading A closer look at Rhodiola rosea: A versatile adaptogen?
A review published in American Family Physician covers a broad range of herbal and dietary supplements for treating anxiety disorders.
I’ll focus on the best of the lot, kava (Piper methysticum). You can read the rest of the article here. Continue reading Compiling the evidence for kava to treat anxiety
Drs. Kalyanakrishnan Ramakrishnan and Dewey Scheid from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center have published a review of treatment options for sleeplessness.
Melatonin, valerian, and several non-drug treatments are compared to benzodiazepines and non-benzodiazepine options. Continue reading Comparing treatments for insomnia
In the ongoing game of catch me if you can, these products have been caught. Continue reading Consumer alert: Blue Steel and Hero products
This is apparently the first study of pycnogenol (French maritime pine bark extract) to treat peri-menopausal symptoms. Continue reading Peri-menopausal symptoms treated with pycnogenol
Taking echinacea after the onset of a cold shortens its duration or decreases the severity of symptoms, according to the results of most clinical trials. The best results are achieved using products containing alcoholic extracts and pressed juice preparations of the aerial (above ground) parts of the plant.
No evidence suggests echinacea can prevent the onset of the common cold or that it’s effective in children.
Dr. Eric Ruderman, Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago has published a review on Medscape, with lots of space devoted to CAM: exercise, acupuncture, and nutritional supplements. Continue reading An academic allopathic view of CAM options for arthritic pain
“Long-term cannabis use increases the risk of lung cancer in young adults,” according to this study from the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand in Wellington. Continue reading Lung cancer associated with cannabis smoking
According to a study in The Lancet, “There is now sufficient evidence to warn young people that using cannabis could increase their risk of developing a psychotic illness later in life.” Continue reading Marijuana use increases the risk of schizophrenia
Yes, but you might be disappointed.
Continue reading Is there a reliable way to prevent or treat alcohol hangover?
Known as Polyphenon E, green tea extract is made from decaffeinated green tea, and contains catechins (antioxidants). It’s approved by the FDA to treat genital warts and is being studied to treat prostate cancer.
In healthy people, might it be used to help burn fat? Continue reading The potential of green tea extract as a fat burner
OK, you survived your first heart attack.
Smoke pot and you’ll lower your chances of surviving the second “big one.” Continue reading Hazards of marijuana in heart attack survivors
Professor Ernst and colleagues from the Universities of Exeter and Plymouth in the UK report significant benefit in symptom control and physiologic outcomes from hawthorn extract when included in the treatment for chronic heart failure. Continue reading Benefits of hawthorn to treat heart failure
Here’s a review by researchers at the University of Illinois, Chicago that focuses on the scientific support for the use of herbals in women during menopause. It differs a bit in its conclusions from a more general review posted here recently.
Both reviews list St. John’s wort as the most useful herbal for alleviating mood and anxiety changes during menopause. Continue reading Herbal options to treat mood and anxiety in menopausal women
Airborne, the “natural” product that claims to prevent the onset of the common cold has agreed to pay $23.3 million to settle a lawsuit over false advertising. Continue reading “No credible evidence” for Airborne