Herbs Help In Dementia

A new study indicates the herbal preparation ba wei di huang wan, an herbal medicine used in Asia for 2,000 years, can be a benefit in those elderly patients suffering from dementia. Researchers found those elderly subjects with mild to severe demential who took the herbal medicine versus a placebo showed a significant improvement in their mental functioning, and in their ability to complete day-to-day activities. In the study, the herbs were taken for 8 weeks, subjects had dementia for an average of 5 years and the average age of the subjects was 84 years. Researchers cautioned that elderly people especially must use caution when taking any herbal treatments as they can interfere with other medications they are currently taking.