WITHDRAWN: Artichoke leaf extract for treating hypercholesterolaemia.

Withdrawal: The editors of Cochrane Heart consider this title as low priority for the current portfolio of the Heart Group and therefore this title is not open to a new author team. The editorial group responsible for this previously published document have withdrawn it from publication.

Feverfew for preventing migraine.

Background: This review is an update of a previously published review in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews on 'Feverfew for preventing migraine' (2004, Issue 1). Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium L.) extract is a herbal remedy, which has been used for preventing attacks of migraine.

Artichoke leaf extract for treating hypercholesterolaemia.

Background: Hypercholesterolaemia is directly associated with an increased risk for coronary heart disease and other sequelae of atherosclerosis. Artichoke leaf extract (ALE) has been implicated in lowering cholesterol levels. Whether ALE is truly effective for this indication is still a matter of debate.

Horse chestnut seed extract for chronic venous insufficiency.

Background: Conservative therapy of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) consists largely of compression treatment. However, this often causes discomfort and has been associated with poor compliance. Therefore, oral drug treatment is an attractive option.

First-line matched related donor hematopoietic stem cell transplantation compared to immunosuppressive therapy in acquired severe aplastic anemia.

Introduction: Acquired severe aplastic anemia (SAA) is a rare and progressive disease characterized by an immune-mediated functional impairment of hematopoietic stem cells. Transplantation of these cells is a first-line treatment option if HLA-matched related donors are available. First-line immunosuppressive therapy may be offered as alternative.

Artichoke leaf extract for treating hypercholesterolaemia.

Background: Hypercholesterolaemia is directly associated with an increased risk for coronary heart disease and other sequelae of atherosclerosis. Artichoke leaf extract (ALE) has been implicated in lowering cholesterol levels. Whether ALE is truly effective for this indication, however, is still a matter of debate.

Serenoa repens (saw palmetto): a systematic review of adverse events.

Serenoa repens (W. Bartram) Small, also known as saw palmetto, is one of the most widely used herbal preparations for the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Although a number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews of the efficacy of S.

Internal qigong for pain conditions: a systematic review.

Unlabelled: The objective of this systematic review was to assess the evidence for the effectiveness of internal qigong as a treatment option for pain conditions. Nineteen databases were searched through to February 2009. Controlled clinical trials testing internal qigong in patients with pain of any origin assessing clinical outcome measures were considered.

Acupuncture for allergic rhinitis: a systematic review.

Objective: To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture for treating or preventing allergic rhinitis (AR).

Data Sources: We retrieved data from 17 electronic databases, nonelectronic searches of conference proceedings, our own files of articles, and bibliographies of located articles.

Study Selection: All randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for AR were considered for inclusion if they included placebo controls or were controlled against a comparator intervention.

Complementary therapies for neuropathic and neuralgic pain: systematic review.

Objective: To assess the evidence from rigorous clinical trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses of complementary and alternative therapies for treating neuropathic and neuralgic pain.

Methods: Systematic searches were carried out in the databases Medline, Embase, Amed, Scopus, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Natural Standard, and the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. Each database was searched from its respective inception until March 2006.

Bee venom acupuncture for musculoskeletal pain: a review.

Unlabelled: Bee venom (BV) acupuncture (BVA) involves injecting diluted BV into acupoints and is used for arthritis, pain, and rheumatoid diseases. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence for the effectiveness of BVA in the treatment of musculoskeletal pain. Seventeen electronic databases were systematically searched up to September 2007 with no language restrictions.

Herbal medicines for the treatment of allergic rhinitis: a systematic review.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of herbal medicines for the treatment of allergic rhinitis (AR).

Data Sources: Five electronic databases until November 8, 2005; bibliographies of located articles; manufacturers of commercially available preparations; and experts in the field.

Study Selection: We only included double-blind randomized clinical trials (RCTs), which tested a herbal medicine against placebo or active comparator, in patients with AR, and evaluated clinically relevant outcomes.

Complementary medicine for treating or preventing influenza or influenza-like illness.

The objective of this review was to assess the evidence for the effectiveness of complementary and alternative therapies for preventing or treating influenza or influenza-like illness, including avian influenza. Systematic literature searches were conducted in 5 databases until June 2006; other data sources included bibliographies of located articles, manufacturers of commercially available preparations, and experts in the field. Randomized clinical trials, controlled against placebo or active comparator, were included.

Clinical effectiveness of garlic (Allium sativum).

The objective of this review is to update and assess the clinical evidence based on rigorous trials of the effectiveness of garlic (A. sativum). Systematic searches were carried out in Medline, Embase, Amed, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Natural Standard, and the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database (search date December 2006).

Mind-body therapies: are the trial data getting stronger?

The effectiveness of mind-body therapies is sometimes doubted. The aim of this article is to evaluate trends in the development of the evidence base for autogenic training, hypnotherapy, and relaxation therapy. For this purpose, a comparison of 2 series of systematic reviews was conducted.

Static magnets for reducing pain: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.

Background: Static magnets are marketed with claims of effectiveness for reducing pain, although evidence of scientific principles or biological mechanisms to support such claims is limited. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the clinical evidence from randomized trials of static magnets for treating pain.

Methods: Systematic literature searches were conducted from inception to March 2007 for the following data sources: MEDLINE, EMBASE, AMED (Allied and Complementary Medicine Database), CINAHL, Scopus, the Cochrane Library and the UK National Research Register.

Tai chi for osteoarthritis: a systematic review.

The aim of this study was to evaluate data from controlled clinical trials testing the effectiveness of tai chi for treating osteoarthritis. Systematic searches were conducted on MEDLINE, AMED, British Nursing Index, CINAHL, EMBASE, PsycInfo, The Cochrane Library 2007, Issue 2, the UK National Research Register and ClinicalTrials.gov, Korean medical databases, the Qigong and Energy database and Chinese medical databases (until June 2007).

External qigong for pain conditions: a systematic review of randomized clinical trials.

Unlabelled: The aim of this systematic review was to assess the clinical evidence of external qigong as a treatment option for pain conditions. Databases were searched up to January 2007. Randomized, clinical trials (RCTs) testing external qigong in patients with pain of any origin assessing clinical outcomes were considered.

An investigation of the contents of complementary and alternative medicine journals.

Context: Previous research suggests that complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) journals publish few clinical trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses and a high proportion of positive articles.

Objective: This study describes the content of major CAM journals in 2005 and compares key findings with secondary data from previous years.

Design: PubMed-indexed CAM journals publishing in 2005 were identified using the search term "(alternative OR complementary) AND medicine.