Rapid responses are electronic comments to the editor. They enable our users
to debate issues raised in articles published on bmj.com. A rapid response
is first posted online. If you need the URL (web address) of an individual
response, simply click on the response headline and copy the URL from the
browser window. A proportion of responses will, after editing, be published
online and in the print journal as letters, which are indexed in PubMed.
Rapid responses are not indexed in PubMed and they are not journal articles.
The BMJ reserves the right to remove responses which are being
wilfully misrepresented as published articles or when it is brought to our
attention that a response spreads misinformation.
From March 2022, the word limit for rapid responses will be 600 words not
including references and author details. We will no longer post responses
that exceed this limit.
The word limit for letters selected from posted responses remains 300 words.
We thank Dr Berkovitz for his interest in our article [1]. Triggered
by this particular episode of the common cold and coupled by a paper
referenced by Dr Berkovitz [2], we asked our mother about other herbal
remedies she remembered. Apparently, our grandfather has left a whole
compendium of Ayurvedic herbs and herbal mixtures (some standard, some
personally titrated and developed) for use in various ailments. During our
next visit to Pakistan, we very much look forward to going through his
work and hope to gain further insights into these very interesting, yet
simple, and possibly highly effective (!) cures.
[1]Berkovitz, SR. Ayurvedic herbal extract has evidence base cough
syrup lacks. BMJ 2008;337:a1413.
[2]Coon JT, Ernst E. Andrographis paniculata in the treatment of
upper respiratory tract infections: a systematic review of safety and
efficacy. Planta Medica 2004;70:293-8.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests:
No competing interests
07 September 2008
M Arfan Ikram
medical doctor
Sobia Ikram, M Kamran Ikram
Erasmus MC University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Re: Paradoxical medicine
We thank Dr Berkovitz for his interest in our article [1]. Triggered
by this particular episode of the common cold and coupled by a paper
referenced by Dr Berkovitz [2], we asked our mother about other herbal
remedies she remembered. Apparently, our grandfather has left a whole
compendium of Ayurvedic herbs and herbal mixtures (some standard, some
personally titrated and developed) for use in various ailments. During our
next visit to Pakistan, we very much look forward to going through his
work and hope to gain further insights into these very interesting, yet
simple, and possibly highly effective (!) cures.
[1]Berkovitz, SR. Ayurvedic herbal extract has evidence base cough
syrup lacks. BMJ 2008;337:a1413.
[2]Coon JT, Ernst E. Andrographis paniculata in the treatment of
upper respiratory tract infections: a systematic review of safety and
efficacy. Planta Medica 2004;70:293-8.
Competing interests:
None declared
Competing interests: No competing interests