Efectos adversos e interacciones de productos botánicos medicinales / Adverse effects and interactions of medicinal herbal products

The use of medicinal products derived from plants (phytomedicinals) has been increasing dramatically in the past years this has forced the health professional to increase their knowledge in the risks and benefits in the use of such products. This article reviews the most important adverse effects and interactions from the phytomedicinals and presents this information in the perspective of a responsible Integrative Medicine practice focused in achieving optimal therapeutic goals

Some usual and unusual poisonings due to carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide poisoning is a frequent occurrence in both developed and under developed countries of the world. Carbon monoxide can be produced in fires, automobile engine exhausts and the incomplete combustion of organic matter. It is a [quot ]silent killer[quot ] that initially produces a mild progressive frontal headache, drowsiness and sleep that is usually ignored as common place. Continued low-level CO exposure for a long period of time in a confined space is cumulative and these accidental deaths are frequent but should be avoidable. Several usual and unusual poisonings are reported to illustrate its various forms of exposure. It all began many years ago when a bolt of lightening hit a fallen tree and produced a fire. Early cave man later learned to enjoy some of the benefits of this new discovery. They could now see at night, they could keep warm, keep the predators at bay, cook their food and make it taste better and be more gentle to their teeth. Also meat could be preserved and eaten at a later date especially if it were dried and smoked. They learned by trial and error that it was dangerous to bring their fire deep into their cave without a chimney. Carbon monoxide (CO) also can be easily produced by many other sources besides fire. Very common today is the incomplete combustion of gasoline in the engine of an automobile which can produce about 6 carbon monoxide

Central corneal endothelial guttae and age-related macular degeneration: is there an association?

The similarities between the corneal endothelium and retinal pigment epithelium in terms of their embryology, barrier function and predilection to age-related degeneration prompted this investigation into a possible association between central corneal guttae (CCG) and age-related macular degeneration (ARMD). 50 patients with clinically significant CCG were prospectively evaluated for the presence of ARMD. 51 age-matched patients attending for unrelated ailments who did not have CCG were also evaluated for the presence of drusen and other signs of ARMD. Of the 50 patients with CCG, 23 had bilateral ARMD and 4 had unilateral ARMD. In the control group, 9 patients had bilateral and 4 had unilateral ARMD. There was significant difference in the prevalence of ARMD between patients with CCG and those with no CCG (p = 0.017 and p < 0.001 for right and left eyes respectively). We found an association between CCG and ARMD. The presence of CCG in a patient may imply increased risk for the presence of ARMD. In a patient with CCG requiring cataract or corneal surgery, the successful outcome may be compromised by the presence of ARMD.