Alternative Medicine Resource List

Alternative Medicine can have several benefits for the body and the mind especially if one is avoiding prescription medication.

A great resource list for alternative medicine was formerly offered by the University of Pittsburgh and was maintained by a medical librarian, Charles B. Wessel, M.L.S. Unfortunately, the University of Pitt decided to take down this valuable resource. However, thanks to tools and archives online, we have re-purposed the resource list and published it below.

Click one of the links below to navigate the extensive list:

 

AIDS & HIV: Alternative Medicine Resources

 

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Databases: Alternative Medicine Resources

    • ACUBASE, by the Bibliothèque Universitatire de Médicine de Nîmes: database of over 17,000 French and English references and full text articles dedicated specifically to the discipline of acupuncture and Traditional Chniese medicine, also includes conference proceedings.
    • AGRICOLA (AGRICultural OnLine Access): “bibliographic database of citations to the agricultural literature created by the National Agricultural Library and its cooperators” includes citations herbs and medicinal plants and includes references from The Herb Research Foundations’ HerbalGram
    • AMED- Allied and Complementary Medicine is a unique database produced by the Health Care Information Service of the British Library This database will be of interest to individuals wanting to know more about alternatives to conventional medicine, and includes resources to complementary medicine, palliative care and several professions allied to medicine. Available in a variety of formats from print to online. Indexed journals are found on this list.
    • AltHealthWatch , EBSCO Information Services: “web-based fulltext database of periodicals, peer-reviewed journals, academic and professional publications, magazines, consumer newsletters and newspapers, research reports, and association, http://www.epnet.com/eptech/.
    • Bandolier Evidence-based health care: “print and Internet journal using evidence-based medicine techniques to provide advice about particular treatments or diseases for healthcare professionals and consumers. The content is ‘tertiary’ publishing, distilling the information from (secondary) reviews of (primary)trials and making it comprehensible.”
    • CINAHL, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health: indexes alternative medicine journals
    • CISCOM Database, ©The Centralized Information Service for Complementary Medicine, The Research Council for Complementary Medicine, United Kingdom: 4,000 randomized trials and over 60,000 citations and abstracts covering and arranged by the major complementary therapies including acupuncture, aromatherapy, healing, hypnotherapy, chiropractic, homoeopathy, and manipulative.
    • CRISP (Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects) database of federally funded biomedical research projects conducted at universities, hospitals, and other research institutions. These projects are funded by theNational Institutes of Health (NIH), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA), Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP), Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), and Office of Assistant Secretary of Health (OASH)
    • Chinese Medicine: Traditional Chinese Medicine Database System, Institute of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine, China Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine: ten Chinese language and two English language databases available on the web. The English language database, Traditional Chinese Medicinal Literature Analysis and Retrieval System (TCMLARS) contains references and abstracts to articles on acupuncture and phytotherapies beginning in 1984. The Traditional Chinese Drug Database (TCDBASE), also in English language, contains a Chinese materia medica that includes medicinal plants, herbal drugs, animal derived drugs and mineral drugs.
    • ClinicalTrials.gov: locate current information on disease treatment at particular institution or by a disease, drug, modality, therapy or procedure. Does contain complementary and alternative medicine therapies [search by words: alternative (medicine or therapy) or complementary (medicine or therapy) or by particular modality: acupuncture or by a particular substance: ginko or shark cartilage
    • The Cochrane Collaboration: systematic, up-to-date review of relevant randomized control trials of health care includes access to Free summarries from The Cochrane Library. Search for complementary and alternative therapies (examples: acupuncture, ginko, chinese medicine)
    • Cochrane Complementary Medicine Field, [ “to help promote and facilitate the production of systematic reviews in topics such as acupuncture, massage, chiropractic, herbal medicine, homeopathy and mind-body therapy” ] University of Maryland, School of Medicine, Center for Integrative Medicine Medicine
      • To understand the definition, role and function of a Cochrane Collaboration Field read the Cochrane Manual on 3.4 Fields (Networks).
    • Dr. Duke’s Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Databases, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
    • Datadiwan : “a database where you can access actual information on holistic medicine and frontier sciences. Secondly, the Datadiwan is as a scientific discussion forum, where interested parties can discuss scientific topics with others like-minded people…all over the globe. And thirdly, the Datadiwan is a network which links research institutions and organizations world-wide.” Most literature is in German.
    • Directory of Databases, Richard and Hinda Rosenthal Center for Complementary & Alternative Medicine, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, New York : “compilation of established sources in the USA, Eur ope and Asia, designed to facilitate research by both professionals and the public. This may be clinical, biomedical, review, meta-analytical or survey research. The listing is hyperlinked to existing Web sites where available, or to brief information on the resource, such as: how to obtain further details; type of literature covered; size of the holding; and mode of access”
    • EMBASE : an international database to citations covering the biomedical, pharmacological and drug literature. Detailed description can be found at the EMBASE home page
  • HerbMed™ – ” herbal database – provides hyperlinked access to the scientific data underlying the use of herbs for health. It is an evidence-based information resource for professionals, researchers and general public, project of the Alternative Medicine Foundation”
  • The Hom-Inform Database of indexed literature references in homoeopathy is produced by British Homoeopathic Library at Glasgow Homoeopathic Hospital is searchable free online.
  • Index to Chiropractic Literature: bibliographic citations produced by “the Chiropractic Library Consortium (CLIBCON: a group of health science librarians working in chiropractic colleges throughout the world whose goal is to improve access to the chiropractic literature”
  • The International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements (IBIDS) database: “produced by the Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health, in conjunction with the Food and Nutrition Information Center, National Agricultural Library, United States Department of Agriculture. IBIDS contains bibliographic records, including abstracts published in international scientific journals on the topic of dietary supplements, including vitamins, minerals, herbal and botanical supplements. The general public, scientists, researchers, and other interested parties will be able to search the database using keywords to obtain the citations of research journal articles.”
  • MANTIS – Manual, Alternative and Natural Therapy Index System, ( formerly CHIROLARS ) Action Potential, Inc.: coverage for health care disciplines not significantly represented in the major biomedical databases, references from more than 1,000 journals, with preference given to peer-reviewed journals. Includes health promotion, & prevention, accupuncture, allopathic medicine, alternative medicine, chiropractic, herbal medicine, homeopathy, naturopathy, osteopathic medicine, physical therapy, and Chinese medicine.
  • MEDLINE Database, [use MEDLINE to find bibliographic references to scientific-based studies in alternative and complementary medicine] the best interface is PubMed from the National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland. The MEDLINE database supports the teachings and research of the current medical system in the United States.Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) Research Using Medline Jane Saxton, Bastyr University Library: a guide to utilizing PubMed for CAM research
  • MICROMEDEX”sThe AltMedDex™ System , “an accurate and scientifically based, in-depth series of databases covering four areas: herbal medicine and dietary supplements,clinical protocols, patient education, and herbal & dietary supplement toxicology.” The AltMedDex™ System, the first in the series provides information on herbals and other dietary supplements. “The Complementary & Alternative Medicine Series from MICROMEDEX is a comprehensive, clinically focused reference tool that is based on a thorough compilation of scientific literature. Monographs in the series present data on administration, dosing, warnings, precautions, contraindications, and interactions.”
  • NAPRALERT, NAtural PRoducts ALERT from STN International: contains bibliographic and factual data on natural products, including information on the pharmacology,biological activity, taxonomic distribution, ethno-medicine and chemistry of plant, microbial, and animal (including marine)extracts. In addition, the file contains data on the chemistry and pharmacology of secondary metabolites that are derived from natural sources and that have known structure. The NAPRALERT File contains more than 100,000 records from 1650 to the present. Approximately 50% of the file is from systematic survey of the literature from 1975 to the present. The remaining records were obtained by selective retrospective indexing dating back to 1650.
  • National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
  • Native American Ethnobotany Database , Dan Moerman, Professor of Anthropology, University of Michigan-Dearborn: “foods, drugs, dyes, fibers and other uses of plants (a total of over 47,000 items). This represents uses by 291 Native American groups of 3,895 species from 243 different plant families.”
  • Natural Medical Protocols for Doctors: “fee-based service that “includes current research data and treatment protocols for most common medical conditions and cross-linked reference material about vitamins, minerals, herbs, homeopathy and other supplements and therapies. The information was gathered and organized by a consortium of doctors from various branches of medicine. This includes MDs (conventional medical doctors), NDs (naturopathic doctors), Acupuncturists and PhDs of various kinds. The data compiled here was taken from research journals (through 2000) and medical books and the reference citations are included.”
  • Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database: “up-to-date clinical data on the natural medicines, herbal medicines, and dietary supplements used in the western world. This database is compiled by pharmacists and physicians who are part of the Pharmacist’s Letter and Prescriber’s Letter research and editorial staff” book counterpart Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database editors: Jeff M. Jellin, Forrest Batz, and Kathy Hitchens (Pharmacist’s Letter/Prescriber’s Letter), 1310 pp, $92, Web version $92, both versions $132, ISBN 0-9676136-2-0, Stockton, Calif, Therapeutic Research Faculty, 1999.
  • Natural Standard, “an international research collaboration synthesizes data on complementary and alternative therapies. Using a comprehensive methodology and reproducible grading scales, information is created that is evidence-based, consensus-based, and peer-reviewed, tapping into the collective expertise of a multidisciplinary Editorial Board”. Register and subscription required to use. Information arranged by herbs and supplements, conditions and alternative modalities.
  • Online Archive of American Folk Medicine, “For more than fifty years, folklorists associated with the University of California, Los Angeles have systematically documented beliefs and practices relating to folk medicine and alternative healthcare. In order to make the data more readily available to the worldwide community of researchers and medical practitioners, this Archive was established in 1996 under the direction of Dr. Michael Owen Jones, a professor of folklore and history at UCLA.
  • Patent Database, United States Patent and Trademark Office: tool to locate registered patents in complementary and alternative medicine
  • PhytoNET, Centre For Complementary Health Studies University of Exeter: “resource for those involved in the development, manufacture, regulation and surveillance of phytomedicines and herbal drugs”, contains information from the European Scientific Co-operative on Phytotherapy (ESCOP), forms to submit adverse effects of herbal medicines, development of European standards for safe use of phytomedicines
  • Phytotherapies.org free service to individuals registering with the site, “sponsored by Herbworx Corporation, an Australian company dedicated to ensuring that practitioners are supplied not only with high quality herbal medicine, but also clinically relevant, scientifically validated technical information, and Phytomedicine, manufacturer quality herbal extracts for practitioners.” Even though it is a commercial service the herbal monograph database contains indications, actions, constituents, studies & articles.
  • Poisonous Plant Database , United States Food & Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition, Office of Plant and Dairy Foods and Beverages
  • PsychINFO, American Psychological Association: source for mind-body and other complementary and alternative therapies used in mental disorders, stress reduction or psychological and behavioral processes and neuroimmunology.
  • The Special Nutritionals Adverse Event Monitoring System , United States Food and Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition, Office of Special Nutritionals: database of adverse effects from the use of a special nutritional products: dietary supplements, infant formulas and medical foods” reported to this agency by the health professional or consumer Note: This database/website has been removed. Read the information at Adverse Event Reporting Dietary Supplements, United States Department of Health and Human Services, United States Food & Drug Administration, Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition
  • Traditional Knowledge Digital Library : “promote the commercialization of traditional Indian remedies, The database, which will contain more than 100,000 traditional remedies, is based on information from the ancient healing arts known as ayurveda, unani and siddha. Note: Read Wikipedia entry for Traditional Knowledge Digital Library.
  • Tropical Plant Database:”authored and maintained by Ms. Leslie Taylor and much of the information contained herein can be found in her book, Herbal Secrets of the Rainforest, from Prima Publishing, Inc.”

 

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Mailing Lists and Newsgroups: Alternative Medicine Resources

  • Mailing ListsUse CataList, the official catalog of LISTSERV® lists to locate a mailing/listserv list.
    • The Herblist, the Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Discussion ListTo post to the list: write an article and send it to: HERB@trearnpc.ege.edu.tr
      To subscribe: write to Listserv@trearnpc.ege.edu.tr with the following text: SUBscribe HERB your full name. If you only wish the digest (to get all posts for the previous day in one email message) you can add another line SET HERB DIGEST
    • AromaResearchAromatherapy and Science meet with a view to furthering the cause of research into the efficacy of using Essential Oils as a viable evidence-based healing modality. This group is intended for Professional Aromatherapists who have an active interest in, or may be already taking part in, Research projects or small-scale Aromatherapy trials.Post message: AromaResearch@yahoogroups.com Subscribe: AromaResearch-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: AromaResearch-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com List owner: AromaResearch-owner@yahoogroups.com
    • The Aromatherapy ListTo post to the list: write an article and send it to: aromatherapy@idma.com
      To subscribe: write to listserv@idma.com with the following text: subscribe aromatherapy or, if you want it to another address than the one you’re at when subscribing: subscribe aromatherapy other-address@your_site.your_net
    • The Healthfraud Discussion List: provides a forum for discussing health frauds, quackery, and unscientific health matters. It is very active, with more than 300 members and about 50 postings per day.”To subscribe, send an empty message to healthfraud-subscribe@lists.quackwatch.com You will receive a reply with instructions you should keep for reference.”
    • The Holistic List: Holistic Discussion GroupTo post an article: write an article and send it to: holistic@siucvmb.bitnet To subscribe: write to listserv@siucvmb.siu.edu with the following text: SUBscribe HOLISTIC your full name (report on the herblist: this address works if above doesn’t: listserv%siucvmb.bitnet@vm42.cso.uiuc.edu) If you only wish the digest you can add another line: SET HOLISTIC DIGEST
    • Internal Arts, Worldwide Recruitment Newsgroup: “Bi-monthly newsgroup listing international employment opportunities in the field of complementary medicine and therapy”
    • The Kombucha ListTo subscribe: write to kombucha-request@shore.net with the following text: SUBSCRIBE (If this doesn’t work try HELP to the same address.)
    • Natural Healthline-AEfree bi-weekly newsletter of events and information for the Natural Health Village To subscribe: send message to webmaster@naturalhealthvillagevillage.com In the body of the message write subscribe healthline (your name)
    • The Paracelsus Mailing ListSubscription is limited to practitioners, educators, researchers and students in alternative and conventional medical fields. To subscribe: write to majordomo@teleport.com with the following text: SUBSCRIBE PARACELSUS and, as part of the subscription approval process, send a biographical note indicating training, practice and interests to paracelsus@teleport.com
    • The OrMed Mailing List – Oriental Medicine Mailing ListTo post to the list: write an article and send it to: OrMed@bkhouse.cts.com To subscribe: write to listserv@bkhouse.cts.com with the following text: SUBSCRIBE emailaddress OrMed (like SUBSCRIBE joe@abc.edu OrMed)
  • Survey Research and Information System
    • PROCAIM [Patient-Reported Outcomes from Complementary, Alternative, and Integrative Medicine]is an information system and data collection tool linking patients, providers, and researchers. PROCAIM, developed by UCLA researchers under a grant from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, purpose is to study treatment utilization, the effectiveness of alternative medicine, and the interactions among stress and coping, pain, and treatment outcomes. PROCAIM is currently recruiting patients with fibromyalgia, IBS, interstitial cystitis, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, and other chronic and recurring conditions to sign up and participate in a year-long Internet-based survey. In addition to the questionnaires, the site includes articles relevant to these conditions, and links to other informational web sites.

Use Google Groups to locate specific newsgroups and threads.

Yahoo Groups Alternative Medicine search and post to over 2,000+ groups in alternative medicine, arranged by modality and interest

Try PHOAKS: People Helping One Another Know Stuff ” help each other find appropriate and relevant web resources in a simple and timely manner.”: allows you to find web sites being discussed in newsgroups

 

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Government Resources: Alternative Medicine Resources

 

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Pennsylvania Resources: Alternative Medicine Resources

  • Bartone Wholistic Options:Healing Mind, Body and Soul, Patricia Bartone, MSN, CRNP, Certified EMDR and Psychotherapist, Wholistic Health Evaluations, Compassionate, Caring Counseling, Most insurances accepted Address: 733 North Highland Avenue, Pittsburgh PA 15206 Phone: 412-952-9993
  • Chinese Acupuncture and Herb Center, LLC, Tonghua Yang L. Ac. ( MD in China ) Address: 20 Cedar Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15228 Phone: 412-563-3328
  • Inner Strength Health and Wellness Center, Dr. Ted Cibik, ND, DMQ, H/FI 825 Address: Lovers Leap Road Leechburg, PA 15656 Phone: 724-845-1041
  • Mark Wolynn, Psychotherapy for the Body and Soul Pittsburgh, PA 15217 Phone: 412-22-2323
  • Pennsylvania School of Muscle Therapy Address: 994 Old Eagle School Road, Suite 1005, Wayne, PA 19087-1802 Phone: 610-687-0888, Fax: 610-687-4726 Email: psmt@psmt.com
  • Pennsylvania Society for Behavioral Medicine & Biofeedback 1616 Walnut Street, Suite 2114, Philadelphia, PA 19103
  • Pittsburgh Alternative Health: Darrell S.C.S. Misak ND,member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians Address: South Hills Integrative Wellness Center 20 Cedar Blvd. Suite 200, Mt. Lebanon, PA 15228 Phone: 412-563-1600
  • Point of Light : celebrating wellness of body, heart and soul: a quarterly magazine which is a “service to the community of explorers who understand that each individual is responsible for his or her own health…” Provides articles, directories, classifieds and advertisements to health practitioners and products. Here’s a link to their Point of Light Home Page. E-Mail: editors@pointoflight.com Phone: 412-863-4206 Address: Point of Light, 4556 Wm Penn Hwy., #355, Murrysville, PA 15668
  • University of Pittsburgh Medical Center , Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    • UPMC Cancer Centers Integrative Medicine Program
    • UPMC Center for Integrative Medicine: offers massage therapy including: Swedish, Shiatsu and reflexology; acupuncture; therapeutic touch; biofeedback; medical hypnosis; relaxation therapy.
  • WellSPRING whole health: Joy Sakonyi, N.D. Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine. Phone: 412-720-7197 Fax: 412-661-6910 Address:The Nuin Center, 5655 Bryant St, Pittsburgh, PA 15206
  • Whole Health Resources: established in 1985 offers wholistic health counseling, macrobiotics, shiatsu, reflexology, yoga, meditation, t’ai chi, feng shui, spiritual development, natural weight loss, classes and workshops. Phone: 412-421-7760 Fax: 412-421-5273 Address: 2015 Murray Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15217

 

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Practitioners’ Directories: Alternative Medicine Resources

 

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Related Resources: Alternative Medicine

  • Alice Health Promotion Program: Health Services at Columbia University
  • The Boulevard “disability and healthcare site dedicated to providing valuable information about quality products and services available to healthcare professionals and individuals with disabilities.
  • MEDLINEplus, National Library of Medicine’s health information resources for the consumer
    • Patient Safety, MEDLINEplus, National Library of Medicine: information on confidentiality, freedom of choice, patient’s rights and satisfaction
  • PHOAKS: People Helping One Another Know Stuff “help each other find appropriate and relevant web resources in a simple and timely manner.”
  • UNCAT: database is a catalog of uncataloged titles. These titles contributed by nonprofit groups, businesses, government agencies, associations, and self published authors. It contains information on pamphlets, seminars, books, tutorials, and research reports, etc.

 

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