Integrative Medicine: Herbal Supplements.

Area of Science:

• Integrative Medicine
• Pharmacology
• Public Health

Background:

• Herbal supplements, derived from plants, have a long history of use for health preservation.
• Their popularity has surged in the U.S. over recent decades.
• Physician-patient communication regarding herbal supplement use is often inadequate.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the increasing use of herbal supplements.
• To underscore the importance of physician inquiry into patient supplement use.
• To inform about the variable safety and efficacy of herbal products.

Main Methods:

• Review of current trends in herbal supplement popularity.
• Analysis of physician and patient reporting behaviors.
• Examination of regulatory oversight by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Main Results:

• Many physicians do not inquire about herbal supplement use, and a third of patients do not disclose their use.
• While some herbal supplements are low risk, others pose significant adverse effects, such as drug interactions (e.g., St. John's wort).
• Clinical data supporting the effectiveness of herbal supplements varies widely by condition.

Conclusions:

• Physician awareness and patient disclosure of herbal supplement use are crucial for patient safety.
• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) primarily handles postmarketing safety concerns.
• Adverse events related to herbal supplements should be reported to the FDA via MedWatch.