Surveillance of suspected adverse reactions to natural health products in Italy

2008 ◽  
Vol 17 (6) ◽  
pp. 626-635 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Menniti-Ippolito ◽  
Gabriela Mazzanti ◽  
Carmela Santuccio ◽  
Paola Angela Moro ◽  
Gioacchino Calapai ◽  
...  
Drug Safety ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 31 (5) ◽  
pp. 419-423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesca Menniti-Ippolito ◽  
Gabriela Mazzanti ◽  
Annabella Vitalone ◽  
Fabio Firenzuoli ◽  
Carmela Santuccio

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelica Paoletti ◽  
Eugenia Gallo ◽  
Silvia Benemei ◽  
Michele Vietri ◽  
Francesco Lapi ◽  
...  

Introduction. The safety of vitamin K antagonists (VKA) use can be compromised by many popular herbal supplements taken by individuals. The literature reports that 30% of warfarin-treated patients self-medicates with herbs. Possible interactions represent an health risk. We aimed to identify all herbs-oral anticoagulants interactions collected in the Italian database of suspected adverse reactions to “natural health” products.Methods. The Italian database of spontaneous reports of suspected adverse reactions to natural products was analyzed to address herb-VKAs interactions.Results. From 2002 to 2009, we identified 12 reports with 7 cases of INR reduction in patients treated with warfarin (n=3) and acenocoumarol (n=4), and 5 cases of INR increase (all warfarin associated). It was reported 8 different herbal products as possibly interacting.Discussion. Our study confirms the risk of interactions, highlighting the difficulty to characterize them and their mechanisms and, finally, prevent their onset. The reported data underline the urgent need of healthcare providers being aware of the possible interaction between natural products and VKA, also because of the critical clinical conditions affecting patients. This is the first step to have the best approach to understand possible INR alterations linked to herb-VKA interaction and to rightly educate patients in treatment with VKA.


2007 ◽  
Vol 85 (9) ◽  
pp. 952-955 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mano Murty

Postmarket surveillance, particularly adverse reactions (ARs), forms an integral part of the ongoing safety evaluation for natural health products (NHPs). ARs can be related to many factors, including inherent toxicity, misuse, hypersensitivity, NHP–drug interactions, or product quality. High consumer use and limited safety and efficacy data from human clinical trials for many NHPs present a challenge to consumers, healthcare practitioners, and federal regulators. Canada’s Natural Health Products Regulations mandate NHPs to be licensed. As the currently available unauthorized NHPs are being brought into compliance in Canada, the transition has produced some challenges, requiring ongoing public communication and education to promote the safe use of NHPs. This article will highlight Health Canada’s key postmarket initiatives in strengthening the regulation of NHPs.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 153473542199007
Author(s):  
Siddhartha Sood ◽  
Rahul Jayachandiran ◽  
Siyaram Pandey

Melanoma is the deadliest form of skin cancer in the world with a growing incidence in North America. Contemporary treatments for melanoma include surgical resection, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. However, apart from resection in early melanoma, the prognosis of patients using these treatments is typically poor. In the past decade, there have been significant advancements in melanoma therapies. Immunotherapies such as ipilimumab and targeted therapies such as vemurafenib have emerged as a promising option for patients as seen in both scientific and clinical research. Furthermore, combination therapies are starting to be administered in the form of polychemotherapy, polyimmunotherapy, and biochemotherapy, of which some have shown promising outcomes in relative efficacy and safety due to their multiple targets. Alongside these treatments, new research has been conducted into the evidence-based use of natural health products (NHPs) and natural compounds (NCs) on melanoma which may provide a long-term and non-toxic form of complementary therapy. Nevertheless, there is a limited consolidation of the research conducted in emerging melanoma treatments which may be useful for researchers and clinicians. Thus, this review attempts to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of current advancements in metastatic melanoma treatment by surveying new research into the molecular and cellular basis of treatments along with their clinical efficacy. In addition, this review aims to elucidate novel strategies that are currently being used and have the potential to be used in the future.


2004 ◽  
Vol 38 (9) ◽  
pp. 1406-1411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mário L de Lemos ◽  
Leela John ◽  
Lynne Nakashima ◽  
Robin K O'Brien ◽  
Suzanne CM Taylor

2011 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 102 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah Khalifé ◽  
Muhammad Zafarullah

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