Phytotherapy Research· 2016Q1
A Critical Approach to Evaluating Clinical Efficacy, Adverse Events and Drug Interactions of Herbal Remedies
- 530citations
- Q1SCImago
- 2016year
Short summary
While systematic reviews suggest clinical evidence for some herbal remedies like agnus castus for premenstrual complaints and ginger for nausea, firm conclusions on efficacy are often lacking, with other herbs showing inconclusive or contradictory results.
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Key points
- Preliminary clinical evidence exists for agnus castus (premenstrual complaints), flaxseed (hypertension), feverfew (migraine), ginger (nausea), ginseng (glucose), and phytoestrogens/St John's wort (menopause symptoms).
- Efficacy is inconclusive or contradictory for Aloe vera (psoriasis), cranberry (cystitis), ginkgo (tinnitus/claudication), echinacea (common cold), and pomegranate (cardiovascular diseases).
- Herbal remedies are generally better tolerated than synthetic drugs but can cause serious adverse events and herb-drug interactions.
- Vigilance is required when using herbal remedies, particularly during pregnancy and in children.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
Systematic reviews and meta-analyses represent the uppermost ladders in the hierarchy of evidence. Systematic reviews/meta-analyses suggest preliminary or satisfactory clinical evidence for agnus castus (Vitex agnus castus) for premenstrual complaints, flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) for hypertension, feverfew (Tanacetum partenium) for migraine prevention, ginger (Zingiber officinalis) for pregnancy-induced nausea, ginseng (Panax ginseng) for improving fasting glucose levels as well as phytoestrogens and St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) for the relief of some symptoms in menopause. However, firm conclusions of efficacy cannot be generally drawn. On the other hand, inconclusive evidence of efficacy or contradictory results have been reported for Aloe vera in the treatment of psoriasis, cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) in cystitis prevention, ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) for tinnitus and intermittent claudication, echinacea (Echinacea spp.) for the prevention of common cold and pomegranate (Punica granatum) for the prevention/treatment of cardiovascular diseases. A critical evaluation of the clinical data regarding the adverse effects has shown that herbal remedies are generally better tolerated than synthetic medications. Nevertheless, potentially serious adverse events, including herb-drug interactions, have been described. This suggests the need to be vigilant when using herbal remedies, particularly in specific conditions, such as during pregnancy and in the paediatric population. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Phytotherapy Research, 2016 · DOI ↗
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Field: Complementary and alternative medicine
Complementary and alternative medicineMedicine