A survey of medicinal plants used by rural and urban inhabitants of the three cities of the Tropical Atlantic Forest, Region of Vale do Ribeira, State of São Paulo, Brazil was performed by means of 200 interviews with medicinal plant users and extractors and, traditional healers. One hundred fourteen herbal remedies were recorded and the following information reported: Latin, vernacular and Eng...

Herbal treatments are often used to treat rheumatic symptoms. This systematic review is aimed at determining the clinical efficacy of this approach. Computer literature searches are carried out to locate all placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized trials in this area. Nineteen studies meet the inclusion criteria. They are heterogeneous in terms of remedies tested, patients treated, and tri...

Herbal medicine has become a popular form of healthcare. Even though several differences exist between herbal and conventional pharmacological treatments, herbal medicine can be tested for efficacy using conventional trial methodology. Several specific herbal extracts have been demonstrated to be efficacious for specific conditions. Even though the public is often misled to believe that all nat...

This is a case report of a previously healthy woman of 56 years who presented with a life threatening tetraparesis, severe hypokalaemia, hypertension, and raised muscle enzymes. The cause of was finally found to be unusual and very much "local". Initial inquiry into her drug history was negative until she was made aware that herbal remedies could cause serious adverse reactions. She then mentio...

Phytomedicine has become an important alternative treatment option for patients in the Western world, as they seek to be treated in a holistic and natural way after an unsatisfactory response to conventional drugs. Ever since herbal remedies have been introduced in the Western world, clinicians have raised concerns over their efficacy and possible side-effects. A PubMed (Medline) search was per...

Traditional Chinese herbal remedies are widely available in the United Kingdom for the treatment of chronic skin disorders. Their benefits are considerable, but their use is completely unregulated. Two patients are described here who suffered an acute hepatitic illness related to taking traditional Chinese herbs. Both recovered fully. The mixtures that they took included two plant components al...

Classical homeopathy is based on the therapeutic application of highly diluted homeopathic stocks. The indications of such medicines are determined by proving, i.e. by applying the remedies in healthy subjects. However, there are several complex homeopathic medicinal products on the market with approved therapeutic indications. The efficacy of these medicines has been assessed in clinical trial...

Kampo herbal remedies are reported to have a wide range of indications and have attracted attention due to reports suggesting that these remedies are effective when used in disease treatment while maintaining a favourable quality of life. Yokukansan, also known as TJ-54, is composed of seven herbs; Angelica acutiloba, Atractylodes lancea, Bupleurum falcatum, Poria cocos, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, ...

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic itchy, inflammatory skin disease that is extremely difficult to treat. Effective therapeutic agents are limited in number, and may have long-term toxic side-effects. Frustrated by these realities, many patients stop seeking help from conventional physicians and turn to alternative medical approaches. These can include so-called natural products, herbal produc...