Complementary medicines in psychiatry: review of effectiveness and safety.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The use of complementary medicines in those with mental health problems is well documented. However, their effectiveness is often not established and they may be less harmless than commonly assumed.

AIMS:

To review the complementary medicines routinely encountered in psychiatric practice, their effectiveness, potential adverse effects and interactions.

METHOD:

Electronic and manual literature search on the effectiveness and safety of psychotropic complementary medicines.

RESULTS:

Potentially useful substances include ginkgo and hydergine as cognitive enhancers, passion flower and valerian as sedatives, St John's wort and s-adenosylmethionine as antidepressants, and selenium and folate to complement antidepressants. The evidence is less conclusive for the use of omega-3 fatty acids as augmentation treatment in schizophrenia, melatonin for tardive dyskinesia and 18-methoxycoronaridine, an ibogaine derivative, for the treatment of cocaine and heroin addiction.

CONCLUSIONS:

Systematic clinical trials are needed to test promising substances. Meanwhile, those wishing to take psychotropic complementary medicines require appropriate advice.

• Authors: Ursula Werneke, Trevor Turner, Stefan Priebe
• Journal: The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science (Br J Psychiatry) Vol. 188 Pg. 109-21 (Feb 2006) ISSN: 0007-1250 [Print] England
• PMID: 16449696 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• Antidepressive Agents
• Antipsychotic Agents
• Hypnotics and Sedatives
• Nootropic Agents
• Plant Preparations
• S-Adenosylmethionine
• Ergoloid Mesylates
• Folic Acid
• Selenium

Topics

• Antidepressive Agents (therapeutic use)
• Antipsychotic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Cognition Disorders (drug therapy)
• Complementary Therapies (adverse effects, methods)
• Dementia (drug therapy)
• Dyskinesias (drug therapy)
• Ergoloid Mesylates (therapeutic use)
• Folic Acid (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Hypnotics and Sedatives (therapeutic use)
• Mental Disorders (therapy)
• Nootropic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Phytotherapy (methods)
• Plant Preparations (therapeutic use)
• S-Adenosylmethionine (therapeutic use)
• Selenium (therapeutic use)
• Substance-Related Disorders (drug therapy)