Category Archives: Herbs and Supplements

Herbalists Apply for Medical Specialty Recognition- An Update

I have been covering the application of the American College of Veterinary Botanical Medicine (ACVBM) for recognition as a specialty in several posts throughout the year (1, 2). My conclusion is that this recognition is not justified for several reasons: … Continue reading

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Discussion of the ACVBM Application for Specialty Status for Herbal Veterinary Medicine

About six months ago, I reported on the application of a group of veterinarians belonging to the American College of Veterinary Botanical Medicine (ACVBM) for status as a medical specialty group. I explained the main reasons why, despite the potential … Continue reading

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Evidence Update: Biologic Plausibility of Curcumin (Turmeric) Very Low

In 2013, I wrote about the burgeoning popularity of the spice turmeric as a medicinal herb. At the time, my conclusions were: Overall, there is no compelling clinical evidence in humans supporting any use of curcumin or other turmeric compounds…There … Continue reading

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Evidence Update and Review for Yunnan Baiyao

Introduction In 2010 I first evaluated the Chinese herbal remedy known as Yunnan Baiyao, and I have reviewed additional evidence repeatedly since (1, 2, 3). So far, I have found little reason to believe claims that this remedy can stop … Continue reading

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Chinese Herb vs Metronidazole for Diarrhea in Dogs: An Example of the Problems with Alternative Medicine Research

Not everything that looks like science really is science. I’ve written about the faux science of some alternative medicine publications, such as the Integrative Veterinary Care Journal, which often publish articles that are held up as scientific evidence for alternative … Continue reading

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Should Herbalism Be a Recognized Specialty in Veterinary Medicine?

Introduction As regular readers will know, herbal medicine is the area within complementary and alternative medicine I am most sympathetic to. Plants obviously contain chemical compounds that can have significant physiologic effects, for good or ill. And many conventional medicine … Continue reading

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Overview of the Evidence for Probiotics in Cats and Dogs

I have written about the subject of probiotics several times before, and this is one of the most interesting and active areas of research in scientific veterinary medicine. Unfortunately, probiotics are also illustrative of the unreliability of unregulated veterinary health … Continue reading

Posted in Herbs and Supplements, Topic-Based Summaries | 17 Comments

Evidence Update: Still No Good Evidence to Support Yunnan Baiyao

I originally wrote about the Chinese herbal product Yunnan Baiyao in 2010, concluding at that time that the evidence supporting its use to reduce bleeding was poor and largely anecdotal: So we have a treatment with uncertain and unregulated ingredients, … Continue reading

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Evidence Update: Finally a Clinical Trial of Cranberry Supplements for Urinary Tract Infections in Dogs

One of the recurring subjects I have covered on this blog is the contention that cranberry supplements can help prevent or treat urinary tract infections. Each time I address the subject, the evidence points to pretty much the same general … Continue reading

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Evidence Update- New Review of Medical Marijuana Research

I have addressed the question of medical marijuana and the use of other cannabis-derived medicinal products twice before. My conclusion in 2013 was this: The current research evidence supports a couple of uses in humans, including treatment of nausea and … Continue reading

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