Epilepsy

Efficacy of Alternative and Other Treatments According to GRADE* Ranking:

Oleander Leaf (Nerium Oleander) [1, 20, 21, 22, 23]:

WARNING: This plant is toxic! Not to be ingested. Causes nausea, appetite loss, vomiting, drowsiness, bloody diarrhoea, seizures, irregular heartbeat, heart failure, respiratory depression and death. The plant and any of its extracts should be strictly avoided, especially by children and pregnant women.

Recommendation: Strongly against (There is insufficient evidence to prove the effectiveness of Oleander in epilepsy. Please note, this plant and its extracts are poisonous, even when ingested in dry form. Many people have died of heart or respiratory failure after eating parts of the plant or its extracts.)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Mugwort (Artemisa Vulgaris) [1, 17, 18, 19]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It has been proposed only as a weak supportive symptomatic support, and even then, has been discounted due life-threatening side effects

Recommendation: No recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that mugwart helps to treat epilepsy. More research is needed.)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

Cannabis (Marijuana, weed, hemp) [1, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that cannabis helps to treat epilepsy. Studies have yielded mixed results.)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Gotu Kola (Centella Asiatica, Hydrocotyle Asiatica) [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]:

Please note, this management does NOT treat the condition itself. It may mildly help with some of the symptoms, and even then has insufficient evidence to back up this claim at present.

Recommendation: no recommendation (There is insufficient evidence to support claims that Gotu Kola helps in the treatment of epilepsy in any way. More research is needed.)

Grade of Evidence: low quality of evidence

Chiropractic:

Recommendation: no recommendation (there is insufficient evidence to support claims that chiropractic can help treat epilepsy)

Grade of Evidence: very low quality of evidence

* www.gradeworkinggroup.org

Summary References

Treatments:

1. Ades T, Alteri R, Gansler T, Yeargin P, "Complete Guide to Complimentary & Alternative Cancer Therapies", American Cancer Society, Atlanta USA, 2009

2. Winston, D., Maimes, S., Adaptogens: Herbs For Strength, Stamina, and Stress Relief, 2007, pp. 226-7

3. "A Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study on the Effects of Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) on Acoustic Startle Response in Healthy Subjects". Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. 20(6):680-684, December 2000. Bradwejn, Jacques MD, FRCPC *; Zhou, Yueping MD, PhD ++; Koszycki, Diana PhD *; Shlik, Jakov MD, PhD

4.  B. M. Hausen (1993) "Centella asiatica (Indian pennywort), an effective therapeutic but a weak sensitizer." Contact Dermatitis 29 (4), 175–179 doi:10.1111/j.1600-0536.1993.tb03532.x

5. Cataldo, A., Gasbarro, V., et al., "Effectiveness of the Combination of Alpha Tocopherol, Rutin, Melilotus, and Centella asiatica in The Treatment of Patients With Chronic Venous Insufficiency", Minerva Cardioangiology, 2001, Apr; 49(2):159-63

6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gotu_kola#Medicinal_effects

7. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/gotu-kola

8. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/marijuana.html

9. http://nccam.nih.gov/research/extramural/awards/2004/

10. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/marijuana

11. http://www.nationalmssociety.org/about-multiple-sclerosis/what-we-know-about-ms/treatments/complementary--alternative-medicine/marijuana/index.aspx

12. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16957511

13. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12965981

14. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17589370

15. http://mct.aacrjournals.org/content/6/11/2921.long

16. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2562334/?tool=pmcentrez 

17. Anliker MD, Borelli S, Wüthrich B. Occupational protein contact dermatitis from spices in a butcher: a new presentation of the mugwort-spice syndrome. Contact Dermatitis. 2002;46:72-74.

18. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/mugwort

19. Fetrow CW, Avila JR. Professional's Handbook of Complementary & Alternative Medicines. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2004.

20. http://www.cancer.org/Treatment/TreatmentsandSideEffects/ComplementaryandAlternativeMedicine/HerbsVitaminsandMinerals/oleander-leaf

21. http://www.nerium.com/index-2.html

22. http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/EnforcementActivitiesbyFDA/WarningLettersandNoticeofViolationLetterstoPharmaceuticalCompanies/UCM165406.pdf

23. http://www.inchem.org/documents/pims/plant/pim366.htm