Medical Condition Dementias

Source:

2009 icd-9-cm diagnosis 290 - dementias

Active Ingredients used for Dementias:

Dhea, Ginkgo, Ginseng, Lavender, Omega 3 Fatty Acids Fish Oil Alpha Linolenic Acid

Active Ingredient	Uses based on scientific evidence	Grade*
dhea	early evidence gives conflicting results as to whether dhea offers benefit to individuals with dementia.	c
ginkgo (ginkgo biloba l.)	the scientific literature overall does suggest that ginkgo benefits people with early stage alzheimer's disease and multi-infarct dementia, and may be as helpful as acetylcholinesterase inhibitor drugs such as donepezil (aricept ). well-designed research comparing ginkgo to prescription drug therapies is needed.	a
ginseng (american ginseng, asian ginseng, chinese ginseng, korean red ginseng, panax ginseng: panax spp. including p. ginseng c.c. meyer and p. quinquefolius l., excluding eleutherococcus senticosus)	early small studies report that fuyuan mixture, an herbal combination that contains ginseng, may improve symptoms of multi-infarct dementia. the effects of ginseng alone are not clear, and no firm conclusion can be drawn.	c
lavender (lavandula angustifolia miller)	small trials investigating the effects of lavender aromatherapy on agitation and behavior in patients with alzheimer's dementia report conflicting results. further well-designed studies are needed before a conclusion can be drawn.	c
omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil, alpha-linolenic acid	well-designed clinical trials are needed before omega-3 fatty acids can be recommended for the prevention of cognitive impairment or dementia.	c

*Key to grades
A: Strong scientific evidence for this use;
B: Good scientific evidence for this use;
C: Unclear scientific evidence for this use;
D: Fair scientific evidence against this use;
F: Strong scientific evidence against this use.