Home > Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Complementary and Alternative Medicine
Welcome to the complementary and alternative medicine category for physicians and pharmacists. This category includes links to resources on herbal medicines, vitamins, herb-drug interactions and supplements.
Are there any complementary and alternative medicines that should be avoided in patients on cancer chemotherapy?
Prepared by UK Medicines Information (UKMi) pharmacists for NHS healthcare professionals
This Q&A focuses on CAMs with pharmacological activity such as herbal medicines, vitamins and minerals. It summarises information from current literature regarding the common characteristics of CAMs that clinicians need to consider when using together with cancer chemotherapy and includes recommendations on commonly used CAMs.
 Source: sps.nhs.uk |
| Clinical Resource: Medicines Question and Answer |
| Register to Access Content: No |
Herb-medicine interactions: St John’s wort (Hypericum
perforatum)
Useful information for pharmacists
This information sheet identifies the principal interacting medicines and explains the basis of the interactions. It may be used, together with other information sources, as a basis to provide advice to patients.
| Source: nes.scot.nhs.uk |
| Clinical Resource: Information Sheet |
| Register to Access Content: No |
Goldenseal Drug Interactions
Goldenseal is a popular herbal product containing the alkaloids berberine and hydrastine. It is used to treat infections of various types, inflammation,
hypertension, and many other disorders. Evidence is accumulating that goldenseal may have some clinically important drug interactions.
| Source: hanstenandhorn.com |
| Clinical Resource: Journal Article |
| Register to Access Content: No |
Can patients on levothyroxine take sea kelp?
Prepared by UK Medicines Information (UKMi) pharmacists for NHS healthcare professionals
Kelp is a generic term that refers to Laminaria and Macrocystis species of brown seaweeds, although in practice the term is often used in reference to species of Fucus. The species Fucus vesiculosus, more commonly known as bladderwrack, is reported to be commonly used in the preparation of kelp products. Because of its iodine content kelp has traditionally been used as a source of iodine for thyroid deficiency and as a slimming supplement.
| Source: sps.nhs.uk |
| Clinical Resource: Medicines Question and Answer |
| Register to Access Content: No |
LIVERTOX is a freely available website that provides up-to-date, comprehensive and unbiased information about drug induced liver injury caused by prescription and nonprescription drugs, herbals and dietary supplements.
LiverTox is a joint effort of the Liver Disease Research Branch of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and the Division of Specialized Information Services of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health.
| Source: nih.gov |
| Clinical Resource: Database |
| Register to Access Content: No |
The aim of this article was to discuss the more commonly used herbal medicines, their side-effects and their effects on the conduct of anaesthesia. These include echinacea, ephedra, garlic, ginger, gingko biloba, ginseng, herbal diuretics, kava, St John’s Wort, and valerian.
| Source: oxfordjournals.org |
| Clinical Resource: Journal Article |
| Register to Access Content: No |
The Cochrane Collaboration
Cochrane Reviews - Complementary & Alternative Medicine
Cochrane is an international, non-profit, independent organisation, established to ensure that up-to-date, accurate information about the effects of healthcare interventions is readily available worldwide. It produces and disseminates systematic reviews of healthcare interventions, and promotes the search for evidence in the form of clinical trials and other studies of the effects of interventions.
| Source: cochrane.org |
| Clinical Resource: Systematic Reviews |
| Register to Access Content: No |
Topics in Dietary Supplements
Black Cohosh · Chamomile· Chondroitin Sulfate · Chromium · Coenzyme Q10 · Cranberry · Creatine · Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) · Echinacea · Feverfew · Fish Oil · Garlic · Ginger · Ginkgo · Ginseng · Glucosamine · Goldenseal · Green Tea · Kava · Licorice · Melatonin · Milk Thistle · S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine · Saw Palmetto · St. John's Wort · Valerian · Zinc
| Source: merckmanuals.com |
| Clinical Resource: Manual |
| Register to Access Content: No |
Health Supplements Information Service
A-Z of supplements
The following factsheets include information such as the foods the nutrient can be found in, what it does, recommended intake, deficiency symptoms, who might benefit from taking it and if there are any side effects/precautions.
| Source: hsis.org |
| Clinical Resource: Factsheets |
| Register to Access Content: No |
Urban Herbs is a project of the Department of Pharmacology & Physiology, Georgetown University School of Medicine.
Monographs Available:
Aconite, Amaranth, Anise hyssop, Autumn Crocus, Basil, Balloonflower, Bee Balm, Bishop's Flower, Blackberry Lily, Blanketflower, Burdock, ButterflyWeed, Canada Thistle, Calendula, Catnip, Chaste Tree, Chicory, Chives, Comfrey, Curled Dock, Dandelion, English Plantain, Evening Primrose, Feverfew, Foxglove, German Chamomile, Ginkgo, Ground Ivy, Honey Herb, Horny Goat Weed,Horse Nettle, Japanese Knotweed, Jimsonweed, Lavender, Lemon balm, Lemon mint, Lamb's Quarters, Maximillian sunflower, Mexican Hat, Moss Verbena, Mugwort, Mullein, Oregano, Passionflower, Peppermint, Plains Coreopsis, Pokeweed, Purple Coneflower, Purslane, Red Clover, Roman Chanomile, Rosemary, Sage, Scarlet flax, Seabuckthorn, Sedum, Stevia, Thyme, White Clover, Wintergreen, Woad, Yarrow, Yellow Sweet Clover, Yellow Wood Sorrel
| Source: georgetown.edu |
| Clinical Resource: Monographs |
| Register to Access Content: No |
Can patients with renal impairment take glucosamine?
Prepared by UK Medicines Information (UKMi) pharmacists for NHS healthcare professionals
Glucosamine is available in a variety of over-the-counter dietary supplements and as licensed prescription only medicines, therefore quality and content varies between products. Little information is available about herbs and dietary supplements in patients with renal impairment.
| Source: sps.nhs.uk |
| Clinical Resource: Medicines Question and Answer |
| Register to Access Content: No |
This document, written and produced by Arthritis Research UK, is an evidence-based report on the use of complementary and alternative medicines for arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions. It uses data from randomised controlled trials (RCTs) – the type of studies that give the best evidence on whether a treatment is effective or not – and aims to help people with these conditions select which complementary medicines may be useful for them.
Practitioner-based complementary and alternative therapies for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia and low back pain
Our first review, Complementary and alternative medicines for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis and fibromyalgia, focused on products that are taken orally or applied to the skin. This second report considers practitioner-based therapies such as acupuncture, chiropractic, osteopathy and hypnotherapy, and other therapies such as magnet therapy and copper bracelets. The purpose is to provide a resource for patients and healthcare professionals by summarising current evidence on the effectiveness and safety of commonly used complementary or alternative therapies available within the UK.
| Source: arthritisresearchuk.org |
| Clinical Resource: Reports |
| Register to Access Content: No |
This information paper provides an evidence-based summary of the effectiveness of various complementary therapies used by people with asthma.
Reference List
| Source: nationalasthma.org.au |
| Clinical Resource: Information Paper and Reference |
| Register to Access Content: No |
Herbal Therapies for Pain
A scientific review of efficacy and adverse effects.
| Source: painedu.org |
| Clinical Resource: Tool |
| Register to Access Content: No |
Evidence-based guideline update: NSAIDs and other complementary treatments for episodic migraine prevention in adults
Report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society
| Source: aan.com |
| Clinical Resource: Guideline |
| Register to Access Content: No |
The mission of ODS is to strengthen knowledge and understanding of dietary supplements by evaluating scientific information, stimulating and supporting research, disseminating research results, and educating the public to foster an enhanced quality of life and health for the U.S. population.
Reliable information about the use, effectiveness, safety, and quality of dietary supplements. Includes fact sheets for health professionals and consumers, answers to common questions, and tips to help you choose and use dietary supplements.
| Source: nih.gov |
| Clinical Resource: Various |
| Register to Access Content: No |
This report, commissioned by PAGB and authored by Dr Pamela Mason and Dr Carrie Ruxton, provides an analysis of the nation’s nutritional intake. It is an update of 2008's Towards a Healthier Britain report using the latest scientific evidence from dietary surveys.
The report finds that nutrient intakes have improved very little in the past decade and a substantial number of British adults and children are at risk of nutrient deficiency. It goes on to explore the role of supplementation and suggests ways to improve how nutritional advice is presented to the public.
| Source: pagb.co.uk |
| Clinical Resource: Report |
| Register to Access Content: No |
Topics in Vitamin Deficiency, Dependency and Toxicity
Biotin and Pantothenic Acid · Folate · Niacin · Riboflavin · Thiamin · Vitamin A · Vitamin B6· Vitamin B12 · Vitamin C · Vitamin D · Vitamin E · Vitamin K
| Source: merckmanuals.com |
| Clinical Resource: Manual |
| Register to Access Content: No |
The role of calcium and vitamin D in the management of osteoporosis
The role of calcium and vitamin D supplementation in the treatment of osteoporosis has been extensively studied. The aim of this paper was to
reach, where possible, consensus views on five key questions relating to calcium and vitamin D supplementation in the management of osteoporosis.
| Source: esceo.org |
| Clinical Resource: Paper |
| Register to Access Content: No |
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