Tinsley J A
Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, USA.
Minn Med. 1999 May;82(5):29-31.
The use of medicinal herbs has increased over the past few years, and psychotropic herbs are among the most popular on the market. Patients and physicians may assume these products are safe; however, dietary supplements are not subject to the rigorous testing required for prescription medications. Problems that may occur with the use of psychotropic herbs include overuse or abuse, side effects, and herb-drug interactions. Ma huang, St. John's wort, and kava are examples of readily available herbs with the potential for negative effects. Physicians should improve their knowledge of these products so they can provide reliable information to their patients.
在过去几年中，药草的使用有所增加，而精神活性药草是市场上最受欢迎的药草之一。患者和医生可能认为这些产品是安全的；然而，膳食补充剂并不需要像处方药那样经过严格测试。使用精神活性药草可能出现的问题包括过度使用或滥用、副作用以及药草与药物的相互作用。麻黄、圣约翰草和卡瓦就是一些容易获得但可能产生负面影响的药草例子。医生应提高对这些产品的了解，以便能够向患者提供可靠信息。
