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Review: evidence is incomplete on the benefits and risks of commonly used herbal medicines

https://doi.org/10.1136/ebn.5.3.80

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    Ernst E.The risk-benefit profile of commonly used herbal therapies: ginkgo, St. John's wort, ginseng, echinacea, saw palmetto, and kava.Ann Intern Med2002 Jan 1;136:42–53OpenUrlCrossRefPubMedWeb of Science

    QUESTION: What are the benefits and risks of commonly used herbal medicines?

    Data sources

    Systematic reviews were identified by searching Medline, EMBASE/Excerpta Medica, CISCOM, AMED, and the Cochrane Library (from inception to October 2000), and by contacting experts.

    Study selection

    Systematic reviews were selected if they included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) done in humans on ginkgo, St John's wort, ginseng, echinacea, saw palmetto, or kava.

    Data extraction

    Data were extracted on the common and manufacturer names and uses of each herbal medicinal product, type and quality of the systematic reviews, sample sizes, and results.

    Main results

    2 reviews (of adequate and good quality) of ginkgo showed positive effects on memory impairment, although these results are questionable because of the possibility of publication bias. 2 reviews (of adequate to good quality) of ginkgo showed beneficial effects in dementia. 1 adequate quality review of ginkgo …

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    Footnotes

    • Source of funding: no external funding.

    • For correspondence: Dr E Ernst, University of Exeter, Exeter, Devon, UK. e.ernst{at}exeter.ac.uk

    • A modified version of this abstract appears in Evidence-Based Medicine.