Acne/RosaceaBerberine (Goldenseal)BlackcurrantChamomileChinese MedicineEchinaceaEvening PrimroseLavenderTea Tree Oil
Acne: Recommendations are easy; data, scarce
Herbalists recommend more than a dozen herbal remedies for acne and scarring, according to a recent article. Unfortunately, only 1...
Ineffective herbal remedies for treating acne
I recently came across a website advocating herbals to treat or prevent acne. The website isn’t important, but the results...
Lavender essential oil to treat migraine
It’s used for depression, headache, hypertension, insomnia, migraine, nervous tension, and other stress-related conditions. Researchers in Germany and Iran conducted...
The role of expectation on the response to lavender aromatherapy
Different theories attempt to explain the relaxation response to lavender aromatherapy. This study suggests there’s another reason.
Antianxiety effects of silexan, an oral lavender preparation
Researchers at the Medical University of Vienna, in Austria, studied the anxiolytic effect of Silexan, an oral lavender oil capsule...
Benefits of aromatherapy in dental patients
Researchers at King’s College London, in the UK have published their findings with lavender.
Acupuncture/ pressureAnxiety (Panic)/DepressionExerciseFolic AcidLavenderLight TherapyMindfulnessOmega-3 Fatty AcidsRhodiola RoseaSaffronSAMeSt. John's Wort
CAM (not St John’s wort) to treat depression
Researchers at Goulds Naturopathica, in Hobart TAS, Australia, reviewed the evidence.
Treating head lice, naturally
Researchers at the University of Queensland, in St Lucia, Australia, evaluated tea tree oil + lavender oil.
Lavender vs lorazepam to treat anxiety
Lorazepam (Ativan) is a member of a group of drugs called benzodiazepines that are used to treat anxiety. Researchers from...
Effect of diet on irritable bowel syndrome
Studies suggest that in one quarter of patients, symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) may be caused or exacerbated by...
Lavender oil as a source of allergic antigens
 The results of this study by researchers at Göteborg University in Gothenburg, Sweden have important implications for people who use...
Lavender scent lowers dental anxiety
Researchers from King’s College in London report (page 163) “Lavender could … be used as effective ‘on-the-spot’ anxiety reduction in...
Lavender baths lower stress in mother and child
Researchers from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Florida report that adding lavender-scented bath oil to the...
Gynecomastia associated with excessive use of lavender oil and tea tree oil
The New England Journal of Medicine has published a report of 3 boys aged 4, 7, and 10 who were...
Aromatherapy and cats: Caution
Thumbing through the August 2007 issue of Cat Fancy magazine, I found an article with the following caveats.
Aromatherapy: Feel good or make well?
Here’s a hint. The most comprehensive study of aromatherapy failed to show improvement in immune status, wound healing, or pain...
Acupuncture/ pressureAnxiety (Panic)/DepressionAromatherapyArt, Music, DanceBiofeedbackHomeopathyHypnosisLavenderMassageMotherworthPregnancyRaspberry LeafTENS/FNS/VNSTherapeutic Touch
The value of CAM for pain relief during labor
Professor Michel Tournaire and Dr. Anne Theau-Yonneau have reviewed the literature. Few publications report a statistically significant reduction in labor...
Aromatherapy calms dogs during car travel
Are you taking the dog to visit grandma this year? Diffused lavender odor may be a practical approach to manage...
Alcoholism/Drug AbuseAnxiety (Panic)/DepressionChamomileGarlicGinkgoHawthornKavaLavenderLemon/LimePalliative/End of LifePassionflowerPhytoestrogensPoppyProf. ErnstSaw PalmettoSt. John's Wort
A critical review of herbals to treat anxiety and depression
In 2003, Professor Edzard Ernst writing on the Cochrane Collaboration website concluded, “Compared with placebo, kava extract is an effective...
What to do about the high prevalence of insomnia
Patients with the highest risk for sleep disturbance are those with pain, mental illness, limited activity, and overall “poor physical...