Manufacturers of herbal remedies rely on industry support, word of mouth and the occasional, positive scientific study to spur the sale of their products. This basic formula is a necessity because most alternative “medicines” will never corner their respective market or successfully make their way into the mainstream medical system. What ends up happening is that much less money is spent actively promoting said products. Likewise the overall sales figures are also much more modest than what is found in the pharmaceutical sector. This dynamic tends to promote a climate where trends dictate what supplements become darlings and which ones are put out to pasture. Read more »

This is a time of year that’s supposed to be joyful. But for some people the holidays can make depression even more pronounced. Perhaps that’s why a particular question and answer column was published in the December issue of Clinical Psychiatric News.

In that piece, Drs. Jan Leard-Hansson and Laurence Guttmacher address the issue of patients who are depressed, but refuse to take prescription antidepressants. In particular, these psychiatrists assess whether the herbal extract of St. John’s wort (SJW) is a viable alternative to prescription medications for depression. Read more »