Journal article

Publication year: 2008

Pages: 536-539

Journal: Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology

Volume number: 15

Issue number: 6-7

ISSN: 0944-7113

eISSN: 1618-095X

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2007.09.007

Publisher: Elsevier

Abstract: 
The usefulness of recording physical impairment during intervention studies in chronic low back patients has been questioned. A re-analysis of all of our studies investigating aqueous extracts of Harpagophytum procumbens and a proprietary ethanolic Salix extract for chronic non-specific low back pain revealed that the "physical impairment" component of the Arhus low back pain index changed very little during treatment despite appreciable changes in the other two components, "pain" and "disability", over time. For comparison, we also extracted data from the literature on the topical use of capsaicin, which showed the same thing. There may be little to lose from omitting the time-consuming assessments of "physical impairment" in studies of the (primarily analgesic) effectiveness of herbal preparations. (c) 2007 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Harvard Citation style: Chrubasik, C., Black, A., Mueller-Ladner, U. and Chrubasik, S. (2008) Impact of herbal medicines on physical impairment, Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology, 15(6-7), pp. 536-539. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2007.09.007

APA Citation style: Chrubasik, C., Black, A., Mueller-Ladner, U., & Chrubasik, S. (2008). Impact of herbal medicines on physical impairment. Phytomedicine: International Journal of Phytotherapy and Phytopharmacology. 15(6-7), 536-539. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phymed.2007.09.007