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Herbal medications for common ailments in the elderly
1Department of Complementary Medicine, School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, England. E.Ernst@exeter.ac.uk
Drugs & Aging
|January 21, 2000
Summary
This review examines herbal medicines for common elderly conditions. While St. John
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Pharmacology
- Integrative Medicine
Background:
- Growing popularity of herbal medicine among the elderly population.
- Need for evidence-based evaluation of herbal treatments for age-related conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of systematic reviews on herbal medicine efficacy for common conditions in the elderly.
- To assess the current evidence supporting the use of specific herbal remedies.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of existing literature on herbal treatments.
- Focus on conditions prevalent in elderly individuals.
Main Results:
- Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort) effective for mild-to-moderate depression.
- Ginkgo biloba shows promise in delaying dementia progression.
- Aesculus hippocastanum, Serenoa repens, and yohimbine demonstrate efficacy for chronic venous insufficiency, benign prostatic hyperplasia, and erectile dysfunction, respectively.
- Valeriana officinalis (valerian) lacks sufficient evidence for insomnia treatment.
Conclusions:
- Several plant-based medicines offer potential therapeutic benefits for common elderly conditions.
- Further research is needed to address remaining uncertainties and allow for unreserved recommendations.