Drugs Aging. 1999 Dec; 15(6): 423-8.

Herbal medications for common ailments in the elderly.

Ernst E.

Department of Complementary Medicine, School of Postgraduate Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Exeter, England. E.Ernst@exeter.ac.uk

The popularity of herbal medicine is at an all time peak. This article provides an overview of systematic reviews of herbal treatments for conditions common in elderly individuals. According to this evidence, there is little doubt that Hypericum perforatum (St John's Wort) is well tolerated and effective for mild to moderate depression. Although widely used, Valeriana officinalis (valerian) has not been shown beyond reasonable doubt to be effective for insomnia. There is relatively compelling evidence that Ginkgo biloba (ginkgo) is effective in delaying the clinical course of dementias. It has been well documented that Aesculus hippocastanum (horse chestnut) seed extracts alleviate the subjective symptoms and reduce the objective signs of chronic venous insufficiency. Serenoa repens (saw palmetto) is effective in improving the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Finally, yohimbine has been shown to be effective forerectile dysfunction. It is concluded that several plant-based medicines can be useful additions to our therapeutic repertoire for treating common conditions in the elderly. However, several uncertainties remain and, at present, prevent unreserved recommendations.