New frontier in herbal research

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A clinical study on a herbal formulation (to treat fibroids) was recently carried out by local researchers. It’s the first such study in the country, the researchers say, and the results were positive. The study could pave the way for a larger, long-term trial, a move that the researchers and scientists welcome because traditional remedies, like modern therapies, have to be scientifically validated and be evidence-based.
NEWS about an herbal treatment for uterine fibroids may not come as a surprise to some Malaysians. After all, herbs have been used therapeutically in our indigenous cultures long before Western medicine arrived on our shores.
A study recently carried out on an herbal preparation for the treatment of fibroids produced rather ambivalent results. The researchers were unable to make a conclusive statement about the efficacy of the product in reducing fibroid size.
Nonetheless, the study was noteworthy because “it was the first clinical study done in Malaysia for a herbal formulation,” says Dr Mohd Pazudin Ismail from the department of obstetrics and gynaecology, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia.
The study, carried out by USM researchers following a memorandum of understanding between the university and the local herbal company producing the treatment, has been accepted for publication in the International Journal of Gynecology and Obstetrics.