Jordan Melanie A, Haywood Tasha
Midwestern University, College of Pharmacy-Glendale, Glendale, AZ 85308, USA.
J Altern Complement Med. 2007 Nov;13(9):1035-43. doi: 10.1089/acm.2007.7197.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the quality and quantity of drug information available to consumers on Internet websites marketing herbal weight-loss dietary supplements in the United States.
We conducted an Internet search using the search engines Yahoo and Google and the keywords "herbal weight loss." Website content was evaluated for the presence of active/inactive ingredient names and strengths and other Food and Drug Administration (FDA) labeling requirements. Information related to drug safety for the most common herbal ingredients in the products evaluated was compared against standard herbal drug information references.
Thirty-two (32) websites were evaluated for labeling requirements and safety information. All sites listed an FDA disclaimer statement and most sites (84.4%) listed active ingredients, although few listed strengths or inactive ingredients. Based on the drug information for the most common ingredients found in the weight-loss dietary supplements evaluated, potential contraindications for cardiovascular conditions, pregnancy/nursing, and high blood pressure were listed most frequently (73%, 65.5%, and 37%, respectively), whereas few websites listed potential drug interactions or adverse reactions.
Potential hazards posed by dietary supplements may not be accurately, if at all, represented on Internet websites selling these products. Since consumers may not approach their physicians or pharmacists for information regarding use of dietary supplements in weight loss, it becomes necessary for health care providers to actively engage their patients in open discussion regarding the use, benefits, and hazards of dietary supplements.
本研究旨在评估美国互联网上销售草药减肥膳食补充剂的网站向消费者提供的药物信息的质量和数量。
我们使用雅虎和谷歌搜索引擎，以“草药减肥”为关键词进行了互联网搜索。对网站内容进行评估，看是否存在活性/非活性成分名称、含量以及其他食品药品监督管理局（FDA）的标签要求。将所评估产品中最常见草药成分的药物安全相关信息与标准草药药物信息参考文献进行比较。
对32个网站的标签要求和安全信息进行了评估。所有网站都列出了FDA免责声明，大多数网站（84.4%）列出了活性成分，不过很少有网站列出含量或非活性成分。根据所评估的减肥膳食补充剂中最常见成分的药物信息，心血管疾病、怀孕/哺乳和高血压的潜在禁忌被列出的频率最高（分别为73%、65.5%和37%），而很少有网站列出潜在的药物相互作用或不良反应。
销售这些产品的互联网网站可能根本没有准确呈现膳食补充剂带来的潜在危害。由于消费者可能不会就减肥时使用膳食补充剂的信息咨询医生或药剂师，医疗保健提供者有必要积极与患者展开关于膳食补充剂的使用、益处和危害的公开讨论。
