The British Journal of Psychiatry (2006) 188: 109-121. doi: 10.1192/bjp.188.2.109
© 2006 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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REVIEW ARTICLES

Complementary medicines in psychiatry

Review of effectiveness and safety

URSULA WERNEKE, MRCPsych

Division of Health Service Research, Institute of Psychiatry, and Division of Psychiatry, Homerton University Hospital

TREVOR TURNER, FRCPsych

Division of Psychiatry, Homerton University Hospital

STEFAN PRIEBE, FRCPsych

Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry, Barts and The London, NHS Trust, Queen Mary School of Medicine and Dentistry, London, UK

Correspondence: Dr Ursula Werneke, Division of Psychiatry, Homerton University Hospital, East Wing, Homerton Row, London E9 6SR, UK. E-mail: Ursula.Werneke{at}elcmht.nhs.uk

Declaration of interest None.

Background The use of complementary medicines in those with mental health problems is well documented. However, their effectiveness is often not established and they may be less harmless than commonly assumed.

Aims To review the complementary medicines routinely encountered in psychiatric practice, their effectiveness, potential adverse effects and interactions.

Method Electronic and manual literature search on the effectiveness and safety of psychotropic complementary medicines.

Results Potentially useful substances include ginkgo and hydergine as cognitive enhancers, passion flower and valerian as sedatives, St John’s wort and s-adenosylmethionine as antidepressants, and selenium and folate to complement antidepressants. The evidence is less conclusive for the use of omega-3 fatty acids as augmentation treatment in schizophrenia, melatonin for tardive dyskinesia and 18-methoxycoronaridine, an ibogaine derivative, for the treatment of cocaine and heroin addiction.

Conclusions Systematic clinical trials are needed to test promising substances. Meanwhile, those wishing to take psychotropic complementary medicines require appropriate advice.


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