Helen Duxbury
An investigation into the Herbal Treatment of Hypercholesterolaemia
Abstract
Hypercholesterolaemia (HC) is regarded as a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Western medical herbalists treat patients with HC with apparent success, but research into how this is achieved and why such treatment appears to be effective seems to be lacking. It was important therefore to establish the evidence by undertaking a study that reflected the holistic perspective as practised by herbalists.
Methods Literature search and review to identify and evaluate:
- existing research of herbal treatment for HC
- the case study method
Herbal practitioners were sampled to obtain case histories, and specific criteria were applied to the case notes received. Qualitative, retrospective analysis was carried out on three individual case notes of adults with HC who had a reduction in cholesterol concentrations following treatment by a medical herbalist (a case series).
Results The literature search and review revealed research into HC that was lacking in methodological quality, and no studies were found that employed a holistic approach.
From the three patients studied, at no time during the herbal treatment period was there a rise in cholesterol, neither was there any recorded cardiovascular event. In addition to reputed anti-cholesterolaemic herbs, the treatment of co-morbidity could have been important in contributing to the treatment of HC.
Conclusions The literature search revealed studies lacking in quality and therefore validity of the results was compromised. Also, the methods used did not reflect the holistic treatment of individual patients as practised by herbalists.
The preliminary qualitative study suggested that herbal medicine can be effective for HC, and that the multiple therapeutic actions of herbal medicines could be appropriate for holistic treatment of patients in reducing cardiovascular risk.
This small case series provides a constructive foundation for future related research, for which suggestions are offered.
