October 1999

 

ALT-MED-DEX
A NEW ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE RESOURCE AVAILABLE AT KUMC

 

KUMC now has available the new Complementary & Alternative Medicine Series from MICROMEDEX. Currently, the database, called AltMedDex contains approximately 50 monographs (Table 1) with plans to add about 50 more annually.

Information available through this new resource includes information from primary and secondary sources (e.g., Complete German Commission E Monographs, British Herbal Pharmacopeia, etc) regarding alternative medicines including herbals, dietary supplements, and other complementary medicines. Monograph information specifically contains, overview summary, dosing information, storage and stability data, pharmacokinetics, precautions, adverse events, drug interactions, clinical applications, efficacy data, pharmacology and references. Drug consults typically are an answer to a specific question. Please be advised that although the Micromedex system is updated on a quarterly basis not every monograph is updated that frequently. Thus, when using this system it is always prudent to check the author information on a specific monograph to assess the date the material was prepared. In some instances, data may be older than one year. This may be particularly important when trying to search information regarding drug interactions or safety/risk information with a newly marketed product or newly released warning.

 

INSTRUCTIONS TO ACCESS AltMedDex :

1. Double click on the SMS/Micromedex icon from the Windows start screen.
2. Select "1" to access Micromedex and press "Enter" twice.
3. Select "B" to access Drug Information and press "Enter" twice.
4. Select "D" to access the AltMedDex System containing complementary and alternative medicine monographs and press "Enter".
5. Type in the complementary or alternative medicine topic you are searching for and press "Enter" to see an alphabetical list of topics to choose from.
6. To access the alternative medicine consults, select "E" at step 4 instead of selecting "D".

 

Table 1. Product monographs included in AltMedDex

Bilberry Bitter Melon Borage oil Boswellia Bromlain Calcium Calendula Capsicum Cascara Chamomile Chaparral Chondroitin SO4 Chromium Coenzyme Q-10 Cranberry Crataegus Creatine DHEA Echinacea Evening Primrose Fenugreek Feverfew Folic Acid Ginger Gingko

Ginseng, Panax Ginseng, Siberian Glucosamine Golden Seal Gotu Kola Green Tea Guggul Iron Kava Licorice Melatonin Milk Thistle Misletoe Pau D"arco Psyllium Saw Palmetto Selenium Senna St. John’s Wort Tea Tree Valerian Vitamin C Vitamin E Zinc Witch Hazel

 

For additional questions or information regarding a specific alternative medicine or other traditional medications, please call the Drug Information Center at ext 2328 or e-mail at: drug info@kumc.edu

For technical support information or putting SMS/Micromedex icon on desktop call the Help Desk at ext 4894

Prepared by Vernessa Griffin/Joyce Generali a the KU Drug Information Center

Return to PharmKey Home Page