Herbalists recommend more than a dozen herbal remedies for acne and scarring, according to a recent article.

Unfortunately, only 1 of these herbals is supported by the results of a study in patients. (more…)

I recently came across a website advocating herbals to treat or prevent acne.

The website isn’t important, but the results of my PubMed searches might be useful. (more…)

Researchers in Winnipeg, Manitoba surveyed the prevalence of CAM use in patients with inflammatory bowel disease. (more…)

Bastyr Center for Natural Health has published a review. (more…)

Almost all babies go through a fussy period. When crying lasts for longer than about 3 hours a day and is not caused by a medical problem (such as a hernia or infection), it is called colic.

Prof. Ernst and colleagues evaluated nutritional supplements and other complementary and alternative medicines. (more…)

Researchers from Atlanta, Georgia and Boston report from the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. (more…)

Drugs and Therapeutics Bulletin, which is published by the British Medical Journal, has published their review of the evidence. (more…)

2 faculty at the University of California at San Francisco and the University of Utah reviewed the evidence and make recommendations for treatment.

Let’s focus on complementary options. (more…)

This study was conducted at the University of Sofia in Bulgaria using local herbals.

I don’t know the relevance to herbals in other parts of the world, but the results are disturbing. (more…)

Dr. Sharon Jacob from the University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Medical Center in Florida and colleagues reviewed the scientific support for herbals used by patients with psoriasis.

Here are the highlights.
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Researchers at the University Science Center, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania report results from the first randomized controlled study of Matricaria recutita (chamomile) extract therapy for generalized mild to moderate anxiety disorder. (more…)

Dr. Darrell Hulisz from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio reviews popular herbals.

Let’s focus on safety issues. (more…)

Dr. Darrell Hulisz from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio has written a continuing education article on herbals.

Here are the author’s take-away points, with additional references added. (more…)

STW 5 (Iberogast) is an herbal preparation containing 9 plant extracts (including Iberis amara [Candytuft] peppermint, and chamomile). In this study, it was better than placebo in treating functional dyspepsia — a chronic or recurrent pain or discomfort centered in the upper abdomen. (more…)

In 2003, Professor Edzard Ernst writing on the Cochrane Collaboration website concluded, “Compared with placebo, kava extract is an effective symptomatic treatment for anxiety although, at present, the size of the effect seems small.” (more…)

In her book, The Natural History of Medicinal Plants, Dr. Judith Sumner states, “Now, about 40% of all medicinal prescriptions in the United States contain at least one plant-derived ingredient, and European physicians routinely recommend to their patients herbs such as chamomile and coneflower.”

Here’s a report from India that gives insight into the extensive work being done by just one group of researchers to identify new drugs from plants.

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Reported earlier on the site was a study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which found that 36% of Americans use CAM ? 62% if prayer is included.

Now, here is an estimate of the use of CAM in one Central American country.

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