Natural Medications for Psychiatric Disorders Considering the Alternatives

by Mischoulon, David; Rosenbaum, Jerrold F.

• ISBN13: 9780781729543
• ISBN10: 0781729548
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-03-04
• Publisher: LWW

Summary

Written by eminent psychiatrists from the Massachusetts General Hospital and other leading institutions, this book is a reliable, practical guide to the use of herbs, vitamins, and other natural substances in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. Chapters discuss the natural remedies used for the treatment of mood disorders, anxiety, sleep disorders, premenstrual syndrome, menopausal symptoms, dementia, and sexual dysfunction. The authors review and critique the published research data on the scientific rationale, effectiveness, and safety of each medication and provide clinical recommendations on indications, dosing, and precautions. Quick-reference tabular appendices list the indications, contraindications, dosages, and drug-drug interactions for each medication.

Table of Contents

Contributing Authors	xi
Introduction	xiii
I. Treatment of Mood Disorders
St. John's Wort: A Critique of Antidepressant Efficacy and Possible Mechanisms of Action	3	(10)
Andrew A. Nierenberg
David Mischoulon
Lindsay DeCecco
Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Mood Disorders: A Review of Neurobiologic and Clinical Actions	13	(22)
Andrew L. Stoll
Carol A. Locke
Docosahexanoic Acid in the Prevention and Treatment of Depression	35	(8)
Maurizio Fava
David Mischoulon
One-Carbon Metabolism and the Treatment of Depression: Roles of S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine and Folic Acid	43	(19)
Jonathan E. Alpert
David Mischoulon
Dehydroepiandrosterone as a Neurohormone in the Treatment of Depression and Dementia	62	(21)
Owen M. Wolkowitz
Victor I. Reus
Phenylethylamine Deficit and Replacement in Depressive Illness	83	(28)
Hector Sabelli
Inositol in the Treatment of Psychiatric Disorders	111	(14)
Robert H. Belmaker
Jonathan Benjamin
Ziva Stahl
II. Treatment of Anxiety and Sleep Disorders
Homeopathy, Kava, and Other Herbal Treatments for Anxiety	125	(7)
Kathryn M. Connor
Jonathan R. T. Davidson
Valerian: Its Value as a Sedative Hypnotic	132	(15)
Roberto A. Dominguez
Melatonin for Treatment of Sleep and Mood Disorders	147	(28)
Irina V. Zhdanova
Leah Friedman
III. Treatment of Other Disorders
The Uses of Black Cohosh in Menopause and Chaste Tree Fruit in Premenstrual Syndrome	175	(10)
Steven Dentali
Ginkgo Biloba Extract in Cognitive Disorders	185	(22)
Pierre Le Bars
Janet Kastelan
IV. Polypharmacy and Side Effects Management.
Polypharmacy and Side Effects Management with Natural Psychotropic Medications	207	(12)
David Mischoulon
V. Afterword
Afterword	219	(12)
David Mischoulon
Jerrold F. Rosenbaum
Appendices
A. Summary of the Different Natural Medications: Indications, Dosages, and Adverse Effects	223	(3)
B. Examples of Possible Combination Strategies with Natural Medications	226	(3)
C. Summary of Interactions and Suggestions for Combination	229	(2)
Subject Index	231