WHO monographs on selected medicinal plants - travolekar.ru

<strong>WHO</strong> <strong>monographs</strong> on selected medicinal plants
pain-free at 4 weeks, but only 8% of those who did not resort to supplementary
treatment. In the group receiving conventional therapy, 18% of
patients were pain-free. Better pain relief in the group treated with the
equivalent of 240.0 mg salicin was accompanied by a reduction in the use
of supplementary conventional treatments (15).
Migraine
A placebo-controlled double-blind clinical trial involving 54 patients assessed
the efficacy of a topical medication containing salicin for the treatment
of either migraines and/or tension-type headaches. All the patients
had headaches consistent with the International Classification of Headache
Disorders (HIS) criteria for migraines and/or tension-type headaches,
and had suffered from headaches for at least 1 year up to approximately
40 years. The patients were divided into two groups. One group
received a placebo topical medication. The other group received a topical
medication containing salicin. Neither preparation induced any stinging
sensation. The patients were instructed to apply the medication, which
was in a roll-on form, to the frontal region at the onset of a headache, take
their usual oral or parenteral medications, apply a mask which covered
the eyes and frontal region, and then lie down. They subsequently filled
out forms rating the degree of relief which they attributed to the topical
medications and the masks using a scale of 0 to 10. They were also asked
if this form of treatment had helped or not. Seven of the 20 patients who
received the placebo stated that the medication and mask helped. This
group rated the treatment an average of 4.31 on the scale of 0 to 10. Twenty-eight
of 34 patients who received salicin stated that it was effective.
This group rated it 7.42 on the scale of 0 to 10 (p < 0.001). The majority of
the patients treated with salicin stated that the duration of their headaches
was significantly reduced, as was their need for analgesic and/or narcotic
medications. This study demonstrates a significant difference between
placebo and salicin in association with the photoprotective mask in treating
migraines and/or tension-type headaches with associated frontalis
pain and photophobia (17).
Osteoarthritis
A clinical study involving 78 patients assessed the efficacy of a chemically
standardized willow bark extract in the treatment of osteoarthritis. Willow
bark extract, at a dose corresponding to 240.0 mg salicin/day, was
compared to a placebo in a 2-week, double-blind, randomized controlled
trial. The primary outcome measure was the pain dimension of the Western
Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index.
Secondary outcome measures included the stiffness and physical
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