title: Complementary herbal and alternative drugs in clinical practice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Complementary and alternative medicine agents (CAMs).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To summarize the current empirical data about the major CAMs purporting to have psychotherapeutic value.
  
  
  METHODS
  Extant literature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Available evidence indicates that CAMs, while generally safe, are not risk free. While CAM use grows, nurses and other health professionals have a limited knowledge base about the action, side effects, and interactions of common CAM agents. Nurses need to increase their knowledge base about CAMs in order to help patients in decision making regarding the use of these agents to treat common psychiatric symptoms.
authors.affiliation: East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, USA. mccabes@chartertn.net
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McCabe
mesh_terms: D019587:Dietary Supplements; D020441:Ginkgo biloba / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D020902:Hypericum / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000502:physiology; D020901:Kava / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000502:physiology; D005894:Panax / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000502:physiology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014632:Valerian / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D028321:Plant Preparations