Company gives FDA ephedra complaints
A leading seller of the dietary supplement ephedra gave the government records of 1,400 customer complaints Tuesday, including 14 that mention serious side effects.
( LAURAN NEERGAARD, Associated Press, 11/20/2002 06:44 AM PST)

Court won't force child into chemo
The parents of a 7-year-old cannot be forced to treat his leukemia with chemotherapy and can pursue a diet-based alternative, a judge ruled Monday.
( Associated Press, 11/19/2002 12:48 PM PST)

Study: Herbal menopause treatments weak
Except for an herbal remedy developed by American Indians, most of the exotic berries, teas, herbs and oils frequently taken by women to ease menopause symptoms have been ineffective in clinical trials, according to a study.
( DAVID B. CARUSO, Associated Press, 11/19/2002 06:26 AM PST)

Coining, cupping are home remedies used by some Asian families
Cao gio. Coining, in English. The words evoke clear childhood memories of Vietnam for Quang Vu. First, the discomfort as his mother rubbed a copper coin coated with herbal oil on his neck, shoulders, back, arms and chest. "It was painful," Vu said.
( BY LISA LIDDANE, The Orange County Register, 11/19/2002 09:17 AM PST)

Study: Some herbal meds interfere with cancer drug
An herbal dietary supplement that some men use to treat prostate cancer may interfere with the anti-cancer activity of the chemotherapy drug paclitaxel, making it less effective, researchers report.
( BY CHARNICIA E. HUGGINS, Reuters, 11/06/2002 07:26 AM PST)

Chinese herbal medicines may contain modern drugs
Chinese herbal medicines may sometimes work--and may sometimes cause serious harm--because they are adulterated with synthetic drugs, a British research group said on Tuesday.
( BY RICHARD WOODMAN, Reuters, 11/05/2002 08:20 AM PST)

Acupuncture may help break urinary infection cycle
Women who experience repeated bouts of urinary tract infections (UTI) may want to try acupuncture to prevent another episode, new study findings suggest.
( BY ALISON MCCOOK, Reuters, 10/16/2002 11:47 AM PST)

Asthmatics may be more sensitive to melatonin
The results of a small, preliminary study suggest that some asthmatics, particularly those whose symptoms worsen at night, are more sensitive to melatonin, a hormone that regulates the body's sleep-wake cycles.
( BY KEITH MULVIHILL, Reuters, 10/16/2002 11:42 AM PST)

Supplement may slow Parkinson's
A small but promising study found that an over-the-counter dietary supplement may slow the progression of Parkinson's disease.
( LINDSEY TANNER, AP Medical Writer, 10/15/2002 07:21 AM PST)