BACKGROUND Dietary supplement use in the United States is prevalent and represents an important source of nutrition. However, little is known about individuals who routinely consume multiple dietary supplements. This study describes the dietary supplement usage patterns, health, and nutritional status of long-term multiple dietary supplement users, and where possible makes comparisons to non-us...

The use of herbal medicinal products and supplements has increased during last decades. At present, some herbs are used to enhance muscle strength and body mass. Emergent evidence suggests that the health benefits from plants are attributed to their bioactive compounds such as Polyphenols, Terpenoids, and Alkaloids which have several physiological effects on the human body. At times, manufactur...

BACKGROUND Products made from botanicals that are used to maintain or improve health are known as herbal supplements, botanicals, or phytomedicines. Many herbs have a long history of use and claimed health benefits. However, many herbal supplements and botanicals have potent pharmacologic activity that can contribute to adverse effects and drug interactions. The use of herbal supplements by can...

Background. Carbamazepine (CBZ) is a first-line antiepileptic drug which may be prone to drug interactions. Systematic review of herb- and food-drug interactions on CBZ is warranted to provide guidance for medical professionals when prescribing CBZ. Method. A systematic review was conducted on six English databases and four Chinese databases. Results. 196 out of 3179 articles fulfilled inclusio...

This study investigated the possibility of an alternative to chemical medication in the treatment of sexual dysfunction in healthy women. The efficacy of a unique herbal formulation of Muira puama and Ginkgo biloba (Herbal vX) was assessed in 202 healthy women complaining of low sex drive. Various aspects of their sex life were rated before and after 1 month of treatment. Responses to self-asse...

Bark extract of Pinus pinaster has a long history of medicinal use and is available commercially as herbal dietary supplement with proprietary name pycnogenol. It is used as a food supplement to overcome many degenerative conditions and has been ascribed a very diverse clinical pharmacology [1]. Although there are many potential uses for Pycnogenol, the well-studied use is for improving vascula...

Black cohosh (Actaea racemosa L.) is a native North American species, where it is widely used as an herbal supplement for the relief of menopausal symptoms. It is available in Europe as a phytomedicine since the 1950s. Black cohosh commercial products were ranked in the top ten of supplement sales in the USA. In addition to A. racemosa, there are other North American and Asian Actaea species. D...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Sleep disturbances and related daytime activities impairment are common diseases nowadays. General practitioners are often the first health care professional asked to alleviate sleep disturbances and primary insomnia symptoms. Beyond a wide class of hypnotic drugs, botanicals can represent an alternative treatment for those kinds of symptoms. The scope of the present stud...