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Housecall Archives
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Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
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Mayo Clinic Housecall
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Alternative medicine
By Mayo Clinic staffSome herbal supplements used as alternative medicine treatments can be harmful to your liver. To protect your liver, talk with your doctor about the potential risks before you take:
- Black cohosh
- Certain Chinese herbs, including ma-huang
- Chaparral
- Comfrey
- Germander
- Greater celandine
- Kava
- Mistletoe
- Pennyroyal
- Skullcap
- Valerian
References
- Your liver. Your life. What everybody needs to know about liver wellness. American Liver Foundation. http://www.yourliver.org/Liver-Wellness-Presentation.pdf. Accessed Dec. 31, 2008.
- Viral hepatitis: A through E and beyond. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.nddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/viralhepatitis/index.htm. Accessed Dec. 31, 2008.
- Cirrhosis of the liver. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.nddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/cirrhosis/index.htm. Accessed Dec. 31, 2008.
- It's dangerous to ignore your liver. American Liver Foundation. http://www.yourliver.org/risk.html. Accessed Dec. 31, 2008.
- Liver biopsy. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.hddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/liverbiopy/index.htm. Accessed Dec. 31, 2008.
- Know your ALT. American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. http://www.aasld.org/yourliver/Pages/KnowYourALT.aspx. Accessed Dec. 31, 2008.
- Ahmed A, et al. Liver chemistry and function tests. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 8th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2006. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/115182046-2/0/1389/501.html?tocnode=51641312&fromURL=501.html#4-u1.0-B1-4160-0245-6..50075-5_3205. Accessed Dec. 31, 2008.
- Seeff LB. Herbal hepatotoxicity. Clinics in Liver Disease. 2007;11:577.
