Some herbal supplements and alternative medications entail a benefit that many prescriptions do not – a low occurrence of side effects. Recently, researchers created a computerized tool that may be able to accurately predict the many possible adverse reactions caused by traditional medications.

Their conclusions, which appear in the International Journal of Medical Engineering and Informatics, indicate that the system may be over 99 percent accurate in determining the potential adverse reactions to specific prescriptions.

The system works by taking past observations of pharmaceutical side effects and compiling them into a large, predictive network.

Researchers noted that such a program may be able to cut healthcare costs and even save lives simply by predicting negative side effects prior to any human clinical trials.

However, the fact that many traditional medications can cause so many adverse reactions is a cause fort concern among many naturopaths, who typically recommend time-tested herbal remedies like saw palmetto and ginkgo biloba.

Individuals who want to improve their general well-being without a prescription may consider looking into the health-improving potential of dietary supplements and all-natural herbal products.