The use of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) has increased among patients with psychiatric disorders over recent decades. Therefore, clinicians must inquire and be knowledgeable about the use of CAM therapies, not only to give their patients accurate and up-to-date information but also to know when to appropriately prescribe CAM therapies to patients. Of the available CAMs, omega-3 fatty acids, folate, SAM-e, and St John's wort are reviewed.
Brahmi ( Bacopa monnieri ), an Ayurvedic herb has primarily been used to enhance cognitive ability, memory and learning skills. We present a case study of schizophrenia in which add-on Brahmi extracts 500 mg/day for a period of one month resulted in reduction in psychopathology without any treatment-emergent adverse effect. Although preliminary, our case study suggests therapeutic efficacy of add-on Brahmi in schizophrenia, thus opening up a new dimension of its role in alternative medicines.
Berzelius failed to make use of Faraday's electrochemical laws in his laborious determination of equivalent weights.