HRT in the news

[Guest guest]

Dear Group,

 

I'm sure we've all been noticing the news about hormone replacement therapy

being shown to have more risks than previously reported. This is a good time

for women to consider Chinese herbal treatments instead. There was an

article in today's Los Angeles Times about how consumers can make use of

" natural remedies " and the reporer made a statement that " some herbs, such

as dong quai [sic] may ... be toxic. " She later states that " both dong quai

and valerian have been linked to serious side effects. " She got this

information from a Dr. Maida Taylor, associate clinical professor at UC San

Francisco and a senior clinical research physician for Eli Lilly & Co.

 

What is Dr. Taylor talking about? I have never heard of Dang Gui being toxic

or being linked to serious side effects.

 

Julie Chambers

[Guest guest]

, Julie Chambers <info@j...>

wrote:

 

>

> What is Dr. Taylor talking about? I have never heard of Dang

Gui being toxic

> or being linked to serious side effects.

 

me neither. however, it also does not alleviate the symptoms of

menopause very well by itself.

 

valerian is probably safer than any OTC sleeping drug, but

nothing is 100% safe for everyone, as we know.

 

This is an ideal opportunity to market TCM as a time-tested

alternative with some suggestive outcome studies to support its

use.

 

[Guest guest]

Re: Dang Gui

Inconclusive evidence for Dang Gui hypertensive side-effects could

be found in West. J. Med. 1999;171:152

m

1 wrote:

, Julie Chambers

<info@j...>

wrote:

>

> What is Dr. Taylor talking about? I have never heard of Dang

Gui being toxic

> or being linked to serious side effects.

me neither. however, it also does not alleviate the symptoms

of

menopause very well by itself.

valerian is probably safer than any OTC sleeping drug, but

nothing is 100% safe for everyone, as we know.

This is an ideal opportunity to market TCM as a time-tested

alternative with some suggestive outcome studies to support its

use.

 

Chinese Herbal Medicine, a voluntary organization of licensed

healthcare practitioners, matriculated students and postgraduate academics

specializing in Chinese Herbal Medicine, provides a variety of professional

services, including board approved online continuing education.

 

 

[Guest guest]

1 wrote:

 

> This is an ideal opportunity to market TCM as a time-tested

> alternative with some suggestive outcome studies to support its

> use.

 

I have a patient who was actually one of the persons monitored in this

five year study. She also recently had to go through chemo and

radiation therapy for a malignant lump in her breast. She's fine now,

responded very well to all of the interventions.

 

However her doctors are now telling her not to eat any soy materials as

they have estrogenic properties of some sort, perhaps heat clearing from

our perspective.

 

So, now the issue becomes this; do the herbs in formulas based on Liu

Wei Di Huang Wan actually increase the estrogen in the body, or do they

simply mitigate menopausal symptoms via other mechanisms. If we cannot

prove that Liu Wei Di Huang Wan addresses menopausal syndrome via

non-estrogenic mechanisms, we're still going to be fighting doctors'

advice, such as my patient has received. She is currently on Ming Mu Di

Huang Wan. Her menopausal syndrome hasn't been a problem since being on

this formula.

 

I know we talked about this a few months ago and this point was actually

discussed. Does anybody have any hard data to support the idea that Yin

tonics are not estrogenic?

 

PS: From the fractured glossary of my Russian girlfriend... A women

goes to a " gynechiatrist " to get a prescription for " extragen " .

 

Works, don't it? ; )

 

--

Al Stone L.Ac.

<AlStone

http://www.BeyondWellBeing.com

 

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

[Guest guest]

, Al Stone <alstone@b...> wrote:

 

>

> However her doctors are now telling her not to eat any soy

materials as

> they have estrogenic properties of some sort, perhaps heat

clearing from

> our perspective.

 

there is lots of evidence on medline that phytoestrogens as

found in whole foods decrease estrogenic effects on the body by

saturating receptors with phytoestrogens that exhibit 1/1000 the

activity of endogenous estrogens. on the other hand, data on

extracts, like isoflavones is mixed, though still leaning heavily

towards cancer preventive. Best bet, use whole foods. they

appear benficial by all scientific and epidemiological measures.

all peoples who eat high phytoestrogen diets have low breast

cancer.

>

> So, now the issue becomes this; do the herbs in formulas

based on Liu

> Wei Di Huang Wan actually increase the estrogen in the body,

or do they

> simply mitigate menopausal symptoms via other

mechanisms.

 

I read recently an article by Subhuti that said LWDHW increased

estrogen. However, these studies are old and I wonder if the lab

tests were able to distinguish between phytoestrogens and

endogenous. He warns against all chinese herbs in another

article on breast cancer that is all about estrogen. Again, I

question the basic research.

 

Of most interest would be what the german commission E says

about phytoestrogen containing herbs and cancer. anyone

know?

 

[Guest guest]

 

The German E monographs don't even mention Angelica root (A.

archangelica not A. sinensis) for women's issues (it is used mostly for

GI symptoms here). They list it as an antispasmodic, cholagogue, and

gastric juice stimulator. No contraindications or interactions with

other drugs have been found. The drug contains essential oil, coumarin,

and coumarin derivatives. The side effects are " the furanocoumarins

present in angelica root sensitize the skin to light. Subsequent

exposure to UV radiation can lead to inflammation on the skin...exposure

to intense UV radiation should be avoided. "

 

The actions of Black Cohosh root (Cimicifugae racemosae rhizome) are

listed as " estrogen-like action, lutenizing hormone suppression, and

binding to estrogen receptors " . There are no known contraindications.

The drug contains triterpene glycosides. Side effects: " occasionally,

gastric discomfort " . There are no known interactions with other drugs

but is not to be administered longer than 6 months. They do not list

why. Black Cohosh root is the only herb listed in the commission E

monographs as having an action of " binding to estrogen receptors "

 

They do not mention phytoestrogens as a chemical constituent but do list

phytosterols. Herbs that contain phytosterols include licorice root

(which also contains isoflavone derivatives), Potentilla anserinae herba

which is used for " mild dysmenorrheal disorders, ...acute diarrhea, &

light inflammation of the oral and pharyngeal mucosa " . It says the Saw

Palmetto berry contains fatty oil with phytosterols and polysaccharides.

Saw Palmetto is the only herb that mentions cancer, specifically that it

" relieves only the symptoms associated with an enlarged prostate without

reducing the enlargement " .

 

is this the sort of info that you are after?

 

Colleen

 

 

 

 

Of most interest would be what the german commission E says

about phytoestrogen containing herbs and cancer. anyone

know?

[Guest guest]

, " Colleen Morris " <colleen@d...>

wrote:

 

>

> is this the sort of info that you are after?

 

 

exactly. so no common phytoestrogen containing herbs in

Germany are contraindicated in breast cancer. that says

something.