Dr.Steve’s BOTTOM LINE: Tanshinone IIA one of the active ingredients in the traditional Chinese herb danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge), which is widely used in treatment of cardiovascular disorders, including high blood pressure. Does it work? Read more on Sudden Cardiac Death Natural Protection with Danshen Herb |Dr.Steve’s Bottom Line…
Dr.Steve’s BOTTOM LINE: This entry is not encouraging for parents wishing for a natural way to reduce steroid dosage for their asthmatic kids. But, let me repeat the warning from the study I’m about to discuss: these are kids and parents should be careful in making decisions for kids, as well-intentioned as they may be, involving “popular” natural methods that may not work and CAN CAUSE DEATH in the event that standard medications (like steroids) are changed without medical supervision. This blog focuses on information that DOES work, but when you use the scientific method, you also have to accept that things are not always what they seem to be and sometimes things DON’T work as proposed. So, what did they find? Read more on CUF2 Herbal therapy for children with steroid dependent asthma |Dr.Steve’s Bottom Line…
Dr.Steve’s BOTTOM LINE: Here’s a study which shows that YeongyoSeungma-tang may have very significant effects on most of the KEY biochemical pathways in your body that relate to inflammation. Inflammation gone awry (in other words too much of what is sometimes a good immune response) is the reason for and/or major co-existing factor in multiple diseases from skin disorders through cancer. Although this is very preliminary data, it points to the fact that this ancient remedy in fact has a very plausible scientific explanation. We need more of this to separate the truth from the hype out there. Read more on Anti-inflammatory effects of YeongyoSeungma-tang|Atopic Dermatitis |Dr.Steve’s Bottom Line…
Dr Steve’s BOTTOM LINE: I couldn’t have said it better myself. Although there are a lot of scientific gobbledegook words in this study, proper use of science can only help. With all due respect to purists who do not want to explore what individual components in TCM herbs do, in order to gain more credibility and establish safety this must be done. Remember, it just adds information. What one does with the information is up to them. Want to know what works…..really? Or maybe what to avoid? Read more on Recent analytical approaches in quality control of traditional Chinese medicines–a review |Dr.Steve’s Bottom Line…
Clinical research in anthroposophic medicine.
Altern Ther Health Med. 2009 Nov-Dec;15(6):52-5
Authors: Hamre HJ, Kiene H, Kienle GS
Anthroposophic medicine includes special medications and special artistic and physical therapies. More than 200 clinical studies of varying design and quality have been conducted on anthroposophic treatment. Half of these studies concern anthroposophic mistletoe therapy for cancer. Clinical effects of mistletoe products include improvement of quality of life, reduction of side effects from chemotherapy and radiation, and possibly increased survival. Read more on Clinical research in anthroposophic medicine (and Dr.Steve’s Bottom Line)….
Efficacy of blackcurrant oil soft capsule, a Chinese herbal drug, in hyperlipidemia treatment.
Phytother Res. 2009 Dec 29;
Authors: Fa-Lin Z, Zhen-Yu W, Yan H, Tao Z, Kang L
Blackcurrant oil soft capsule (BOSC) is an effective and safe herbal medicine for the treatment of hyperlipidemia and has been approved for the market in China. No studies have been performed, however, to confirm whether BOSC is effective in reducing the serum lipid level in a large-scale ordinary or special patient population. Read more on Efficacy of blackcurrant oil soft capsule, a Chinese herbal drug, in hyperlipidemia treatment. (and Dr.Steve’s Bottom Line)…
