Phytotherapy

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Revision as of 20:55, 26 January 2009 by imported>Robert Badgett (Started 'Effectiveness')
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Template:TOC-right Phytotherapy, also called herbal medicine or herbalism, is is the use of plants or herbs to treat diseases, to alleviate pain,[1] or maintain good health.[2] In the U.K., it is defined as an alternative method of "Group 1", or Professionally Organised Alternative Therapies. [1]

It is a member of the class of biologically based health practices. Specific types of phytotherapy are often traditional medicine of different cultures, and use of an indigenous knowledge system (IKS).

Effectiveness

Systematic reviews of selected phytotherapy
  Conclusion
Hypericum[3] "The available evidence suggests that the hypericum extracts tested in the included trials a) are superior to placebo in patients with major depression; b) are similarly effective as standard antidepressants; c) and have fewer side effects than standard antidepressants. The association of country of origin and precision with effects sizes complicates the interpretation"
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References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Select Committee appointed to consider Science and Technology, U.K. Parliament (21 November 2000), Chapter 2: Disciplines examined, Definitions of the Various CAM Therapies, Complementary and Alternative Medicine
  2. Anonymous (2024), Phytotherapy (English). Medical Subject Headings. U.S. National Library of Medicine.
  3. Linde K, Berner MM, Kriston L (2008). "St John's wort for major depression". Cochrane Database Syst Rev (4): CD000448. DOI:10.1002/14651858.CD000448.pub3. PMID 18843608. Research Blogging.