Le Journal médical libanais. The Lebanese medical journal
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To measure the magnitude of use of so-called "herbal medications" with or without prescribed drugs and to assess the benefits and adverse effects perceived by herbal users in the Greater Beirut area. ⋯ There is a relatively high prevalence of herbal medicine use in Greater Beirut, with an important rate of self-reported adverse effects, especially among those who suffer chronic conditions, and little exchange of information on this between patients and doctors. Data indicate the need to educate patients about realities associated with abusive use, expected benefits and potential drug-herb interaction. Patients on chronic medications should not be left to actually experience adverse effects in order to discover that herbal medicines are not always effective or innocuous.