Herbs and other plant-based substances are frequently used by the public for medicinal purposes. They can have significant health implications and freely available information is often compromised by conflict of interest and weak evidence. The Review of Natural Products is now available to registrants through the College website to support those seeking detailed information about natural products based on objective assessment of current scientific research. Its focus is evidence on both the benefits and the risks of natural products.
The Review of Natural Products contains 400 monographs, each starting with a "Clinical Overview" box summarizing medical use, dosing, contraindications, pregnancy/lactation, interactions, adverse reactions, and toxicology. Other aspects in the monographs are botany, history, chemistry, pharmacology, folkloric uses, and patient information.
The Review of Natural Products is highly rated among point-of-care dietary information sources for completeness and consistency in uses, dose, adverse effects, and mechanism information1. In terms of scope, herbs, vitamins, and medically active foods (nutraceuticals) are covered, minerals are not. The resource is updated monthly.
For help in locating more information on natural products or any other question that arises in medical practice, registrants are welcome to contact the College library.
- Montgomery AE, Beckett RD, Montagano KJ, Kutom S. Evaluation of Point-of-Care Resources for Dietary Supplement Information. J Evid Based Integr Med. 2018 Jan-Dec;23:2515690X18764844. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29589473/