|
Herbal Medicines for Menopause?
Reported January 16, 2009
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Treating menopausal symptoms with herbal
remedies could be a waste of time and money. A new article in the Drug and
Therapies Bulletin (DTB) says there is no strong evidence either way for
several herbal medicines taken to relieve troublesome menopausal symptoms.
Herbal remedies like black cohosh, red clover, ginseng and Dong quai are
commonly used to relieve menopausal symptoms like hot flashes and night
sweats which are prompted by the sharp decline of estrogen levels.
DTB states little good quality evidence is available on the effectiveness of
herbal medicines, or how they might react with prescription medicines. The
journal also reports, safety has been under-researched, which is a major
concern given that herbal remedies are often assumed to be "safe" just on
the grounds that they are "natural."
SOURCE: Drug and Therapies Bulletin, January 2009 |