BACKGROUND There is a lack of basic knowledge on the part of both clinicians and patients as to the indications for use and safety of herbs used during pregnancy and lactation. This is one article in a series that systematically reviews the evidence for herbs commonly used during pregnancy and lactation. OBJECTIVES To systematically review the literature for evidence on the use, safety and ph...

Premenstrual syndrome is a common condition in women and includes a range of emotional, psychological, and physical symptoms triggered by the menstrual cycle. Complementary and alternative medicine use is more prevalent in the treatment of diseases, and many women use medicinal plants without a physician’s prescription. Modified diet and use of herbal medicine may be one effective method in the...

INTRODUCTION Lower level of estrogen hormone is considered as an important factor for loss of learning and memory in postmenopausal women. Although estrogen replacement therapy is used for compensation, but long-term usage of estrogen is associated with a higher risk of hormone-dependent cancers. Phytoestrogens, due to fewer side effects, have been proposed to prevent menopause-related cognitiv...

Estrogen's a Natural in Herbal Remedies Patricia Eagon, an associate professor of medicine at Pennsylvania's University of Pittsburgh, decided to consult an herbalist after she began to suspect that Premarin, the prescription estrogen she was taking for menopausal symptoms, was causing a rash on her leg. The herbalist, whom she had consulted before on other health matters, gave her a mixture of...

Crapemyrtle (Lagerstroemia spp.) is the most popular summer flowering tree in U.S. Its total value sold has almost doubled since 1998. Consumers prize crapemyrtles for their beauty and being relatively pest free. However, current crapemyrtle production use might be affected by bark scale (CMBS; Acanthococcus lagerstroemiae), which been confirmed at least 14 states after its first sighting Texas...