It’s the most commonly detected nonalcoholic drug in drivers.
Researchers at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, in New York City, reviewed the evidence for its role in causing crashes. Continue reading Marijuana and the risk of motor vehicle accidents
Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) fruit extracts are used for treat lower urinary tract symptoms attributed to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
Researchers in the Complementary and Alternative Medicine for Urological Symptoms (CAMUS) Study Group report the response to increasing doses. Continue reading Failure of saw palmetto to reduce BPH symptoms
Researchers at Maastricht University Medical Center, in the Netherlands, studied the use of cannabis in adolescence and their risk for psychotic outcomes. Continue reading Further support for the cannabis/psychosis connection
Researchers at Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, in Tehran, Iran, evaluated valerian — an herb with sedative effects and antispasmodic effects on smooth muscles — on the severity of dysmenorrhea. Continue reading Valerian for dysmenorrhea
Here’s a look at the use of dietary supplements by physicians in 3 specialties in the US: cardiology, dermatology, and orthopedics. Continue reading Use of dietary supplements by medical specialists
Researchers in Rhode Island studied the value of motivational interviewing + mindfulness meditation. Continue reading Reducing marijuana use among young women
Prof. Ernst and colleagues evaluated the evidence regarding the effects of herbal and dietary supplements on cognition (ability to reason) in menopause. Continue reading Herbal and dietary supplements on cognition in menopause
Herbals and other CAM are being aggressively marketed for both prophylactic and therapeutic effects in regard to memory disorders.
Researchers at Beth Israel Medical Center, in New York City, reviewed the evidence. Continue reading Review: CAM to treat memory loss
Researchers in the US reviewed the incidence and severity of potential interactions between prescription medicine and dietary supplements. Continue reading Risk of drug interactions with dietary supplements
Researchers at the University of Geneva School of Medicine, in Switzerland, evaluated the response to highly purified chondroitin 4&6 sulfate (CS) in patients with hand osteoarthritis. Continue reading Symptomatic response to chondroitin in patients with osteoarthritis
Researchers in Korea and the US studied EstroG-100 — a mixture of standardized extracts of Cynanchum wilfordii, Phlomis umbrosa and Angelica gigas. Continue reading Effect of EstroG-100 on menopausal symptoms
Researchers from the Cheyenne Veterans Affairs Medical Center, in Wyoming report that when taken together, 1 patient experienced bleeding from the blood “thinner” warfarin (Coumadin). Continue reading Marijuana interaction with warfarin reported
Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center, in New York, reviewed non-drug treatments.
Let’s focus on herbals. Continue reading Limited value of herbals to lower blood pressure
It’s one of the most popular herbal supplements for treating depression. Dr. Perry Halushka from the Medical University of South Carolina has reviewed the scientific literature, including the many drug interactions associated with its use.
But the biggest problem is the lack of standardization and reliability of the contents of commercially available brands of St. John’s wort.
Continue reading The biggest problem with St. John’s wort
Researchers at the University of Leeds, in Woodhouse, evaluated written information provided with commonly used herbal products in the UK in advance of a European Union Directive that tightens regulations for some herbal products, including requirements to provide safety information. Continue reading Herbal supplements: Caveat Emptor
Researchers at Kaohsiung Medical University, in Taiwan reviewed the evidence related to music’s effect on people with different mental illnesses. Continue reading Sumarizing the mental health implications of music therapy
The left coast is a source of many useless studies of “medical” marijuana.
Here’s another from researchers at the University of British Columbia Okanagan, in Kelowna, British Columbia. Continue reading Another dopey cannabis study
Prof. Ernst and colleagues reviewed the evidence during menopause Continue reading Do herbals and dietary supplements affect cognitive decline?
Researchers at Midwestern University, in Glendale, Arizona, assessed the extent of appropriate counseling provided by pharmacists and nonpharmacists in retail settings. Continue reading Herbals for weight loss: Counseling by pharmacists and nonpharmacists
Anti-hormonal therapy of breast cancer patients with the anti-estrogen tamoxifen (Nolvadex) often induces or aggravates menopausal complaints.
Researchers at the University Hospital, in Zurich, Switzerland measured the response to black cohosh. Continue reading Combining black cohosh with tamoxifen in breast cancer therapy