|
 |
|
||||||||||||
|
|
|
July/August 2006: Issue 131
Have you tried Natural Standard?
Can pregnant women safely use Echinacea?
Are ginkgo and aspirin safe to take together?
These questions and many other can be answered using Natural Standard, one of the newer databases available through the UAMS Library. It provides a quality, evidence-based medicine approach to complementary and alternative therapies. Founded by clinicians and researchers at Harvard Medical School and the University of California, Natural Standard is an impartial service with contributors from over 100 eminent academic institutions world-wide.
Information is evidence-based, consensus-based, and peer-reviewed and assigned a grade based on the level of scientific evidence available. The grades include:
A (Strong Scientific Evidence)
B (Good Scientific Evidence)
C (Unclear or conflicting scientific evidence)
D (Fair Negative Scientific Evidence)
F (Strong Negative Scientific Evidence)
Lack of Evidence†
Accupressure (under Complementary Practices) offers a monograph that lists the background and theory behind the methods. It then lists out each illness/condition that the method has been reputed to help. They grade according to the evidence available. Links are also available to view the methodology the researchers used in determining the quality of the evidence as well as the data analysis, review and update processes.
Below is a sample of their grading for Accupressure for the first two conditions listed.
Different sections include different levels of information. Each comprehensive monographs are designed to facilitate clinical decision making. The various sections of the database include:
- Herbs & Supplements
- Conditions
- Complimentary Practices
- Dictionary
- Interactions
- Brand Names
Clicking on Interactions brings up a list of herbs & supplements. A choice of African Wild Potato reveals the following drug interactions.
Please note: A PDA version is available for $79. The PDA version is not included under the UAMS Library’s subscription.
Please take a few moments and explore the amazing resource at: http://www.naturalstandard.com/index.asp