Supplements

Question 1

What are the botanical/herbal substances?

Answer 1

echinacea, garlic, ginkgo, ginseng, milk thistle, st. johns wort, saw palmetto

Question 2

What are the purified supplements?

Answer 2

coenzyme Q10, glucosamine, melatonin

Question 3

T/F current supplements are either plant-based of synthetic

Answer 3

true

Question 4

Why are supplements not more widely accepted by the medical community?

Answer 4

clinical studies are poorly designed to not account for placebo and are not peer reviewed, complicated legally

Question 5

T/F supplements are regulated as medication by the FDA

Answer 5

false, supplements are regulated as food which eliminates the need for proof of efficacy and safety prior to marketing

Question 6

What are the uses of echinacea?

Answer 6

immune modulation, anti-inflammatory effects, antibacterial/fungal/viral and antioxidant effects

Question 7

What are the adverse effects of echinacea?

Answer 7

flu like symptoms, unpleasant taste and GI upset, rash

Question 8

What are the contraindications of echinacea?

Answer 8

immune deficiency disorders, autoimmune disease, and TB, also so preparations have a high alcohol content

Question 9

What are the uses of garlic?

Answer 9

cardiovascular effects, decrease total cholesterol, anti-platelet effects (blood thinning), decrease in bp, antibiotic effects, reduction of carcinogen activation

Question 10

What are the adverse effects of garlic?

Answer 10

nausea, hypotension, allergy, bleeding, body odor, contact dermatitis

Question 11

What are contraindications of garlic?

Answer 11

avoid in patients taking anti-clotting medications, monitor blood pressure and signs of bleeding

Question 12

What are the uses of ginkgo?

Answer 12

cardiovascular– increased blood flow and vasodilation, antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, improvements in cognition and concentration and other central nervous system effects

Question 13

What are the adverse effects of Ginkgo?

Answer 13

nausea, headache, stomach upset, diarrhea, insomnia

Question 14

What are contraindications of Ginkgo?

Answer 14

patients taking anti-platelet or anticoagulant medications and avoid patients with seizure disorders

Question 15

What are the uses of Ginseng?

Answer 15

increased immune function, increased CNS levels of ACh/serotonin/NE/dopamine, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-stress, anti-platelet, improved glucose homeostasis, anticancer

Question 16

What are the adverse effects of Ginseng?

Answer 16

bleeding, insomnia, nervousness, hypertension

Question 17

What are contraindications of ginseng?

Answer 17

caution in pts on psychiatric of hypoglycemic medications, do not combine with blood thinners, caution in patients with immune disease

Question 18

What are the uses of milk thistle?

Answer 18

limits hepatic injury, reduce tumor initiation in skin cancer, induce apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, induce lactation

Question 19

What are the adverse effects of milk thistle?

Answer 19

GI upset and headaches

Question 20

What are the contraindications of milk thistle?

Answer 20

none

Question 21

What are the effects of St. John’s Wort (hypericum perforatum)?

Answer 21

antidepressant by inhibition of re-uptake of serotonin/NE/dopamine, increased expression of serotonin receptors, antiviral and anticarcinogenic

Question 22

What are the adverse effects of St. John’s Wort?

Answer 22

photosensitization and mood swings

Question 23

What are the contraindications of St. John’s Wort?

Answer 23

avoid in pts using tradition antidepressants (risk serotonin syndrome) reduces levels of other drugs by inducing CYP enzymes

Question 24

REMEMBER St. John’s Wort reduces levels of other drugs like:

Answer 24

birth control, cyclosporine, NNRT inhibitors, warfarin, and anticonvulsants

Question 25

What are the uses of Saw Palmetto?

Answer 25

treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia by inhibiting conversion of testosterone to DHT and reducing binding of DHT to androgen receptors

Question 26

What are the adverse effects of Saw Palmetto?

Answer 26

abdominal pain, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue and headaches

Question 27

What are the contradindications of Saw Palmetto (serenoa repends or sabal serrulata)?

Answer 27

none noted

Question 28

Where is coenzyme q10 found?

Answer 28

mitochondria of heart, kidney, liver, and skeletal muscle

Question 29

What are the uses of Coenzyme Q10?

Answer 29

potent antioxidant, lowers bp, improves heart output, helps ischemic heart disease, prevents statin-induced myopathy (cholesterol muscle soreness)

Question 30

What are the adverse effects of Coenzyme Q10?

Answer 30

GI upset in less than 1 percent

Question 31

What are the contraindications for Coenzyme Q10?

Answer 31

warfarin effects are decreased

Question 32

Where is glucosamine found?

Answer 32

in human tissue, is a substrate for the production of cartilage aka acts as cartilage nutrient

Question 33

Where is glucosamine derived commercially?

Answer 33

crabs and crustaceans

Question 34

What are the uses of glucosamine?

Answer 34

maintenance and strengthening of existing cartilage

Question 35

What are the adverse effects of glucosamine?

Answer 35

well tolerated, mild GI occasionally

Question 36

What are the contraindications of glucosamine?

Answer 36

increased effect of warfarin and shellfish allergies

Question 37

What is melatonin?

Answer 37

a serotonin derivative believed to regulate sleep-wake cycles, release is suppressed by daylight

Question 38

What are the uses of melatonin?

Answer 38

jet lag, insomnia (improve sleep onset, duration, and quality and increase REM sleep)

Question 39

What are the adverse effects of melatonin?

Answer 39

next day drowsiness and fatigue, dizziness, headache, irritability, maybe affects blood pressure

Question 40

What are possible drug interactions of melatonin?

Answer 40

NSAIDS, antidepressants, B agonists and antagonists, and warfarin