Related Experiment Videos
Herbal remedies in psychiatric practice
1Clarke Institute of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. albert.wong@utoronto.ca
Archives of General Psychiatry
|November 18, 1998
Summary
Physicians need to understand herbal remedies used by patients. While research is limited, St. John's wort shows efficacy for depression, and ginkgo for dementia-related memory loss.
Area of Science:
- Integrative Medicine
- Psychiatric Pharmacology
- Botanical Medicine
Background:
- Growing patient use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) necessitates physician awareness of herbal remedies.
- Herbal products may be used for psychiatric symptoms, cause side effects, or interact with psychiatric medications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the current literature on the safety, efficacy, and drug interactions of commonly used herbal remedies in psychiatric practice.
- To provide clinicians with evidence-based information for counseling patients using botanical treatments.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of English-language articles and translated abstracts from MEDLINE and CAM sources.
- Assessment of each herb for safety, side effects, drug interactions, and efficacy for psychiatric conditions.
Main Results:
- Limited data and variable quality of evidence for most reviewed herbs.
- Strong evidence supports the efficacy of St. John's wort for depression.
- Good evidence indicates ginkgo's effectiveness in managing dementia-related memory impairment.
Conclusions:
- More research is needed to establish definitive efficacy and safety profiles for most herbal remedies.
- Current evidence on select herbs like St. John's wort and ginkgo is clinically relevant for patient care.
- Clinicians should be prepared to discuss botanical remedies with patients due to their potential impact on psychiatric treatment.