Therapeutic effect refers to the response(s) after a treatment of any kind, the results of which are judged to be useful or favorable. This is true whether the result was expected, unexpected, or even an unintended consequence. An

adverse effect An adverse effect is an undesired harmful effect resulting from a medication or other intervention, such as surgery. An adverse effect may be termed a " side effect", when judged to be secondary to a main or therapeutic effect. The term compl ...

(including nocebo) is the converse and refers to harmful or undesired response(s). What constitutes a therapeutic effect versus a side effect is a matter of both the nature of the situation and the goals of treatment. No inherent difference separates therapeutic and undesired side effects; both responses are

behavioral Behavior (American English) or behaviour (British English) is the range of actions and mannerisms made by individuals, organisms, systems or artificial entities in some environment. These systems can include other systems or organisms as we ...

physiologic Physiology (; ) is the scientific study of functions and mechanisms in a living system. As a sub-discipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organs, cells, and biomolecules carry out the chemical a ...

changes that occur as a response to the treatment strategy or agent.

Treatment scope

To maximize therapeutic effects (desired) and minimize side effects (undesired) requires recognition and quantification of the treatment in multiple dimensions. In the specific case of targeted pharmaceutical interventions, a combination of therapies is often needed to achieve the desired results.

Pharmacology examples

*A 2015 review found that

aloe vera ''Aloe vera'' () is a succulent plant species of the genus '' Aloe''. It is widely distributed, and is considered an invasive species in many world regions. An evergreen perennial, it originates from the Arabian Peninsula, but grows wild in t ...

exhibits therapeutic

antioxidant Antioxidants are compounds that inhibit oxidation, a chemical reaction that can produce free radicals. This can lead to polymerization and other chain reactions. They are frequently added to industrial products, such as fuels and lubrica ...

, antimicrobial, immune boosting,

antitumor Cancer can be treated by surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, hormonal therapy, targeted therapy (including immunotherapy such as monoclonal antibody therapy) and synthetic lethality, most commonly as a series of separate treatments ...

hypoglycemic Hypoglycemia, also called low blood sugar, is a fall in blood sugar to levels below normal, typically below 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L). Whipple's triad is used to properly identify hypoglycemic episodes. It is defined as blood glucose belo ...

, hypolipidemic, wound healing, and antidiabetic effects. *Also in 2015, a review found that probiotics were beneficial in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome. *Again in 2015 another review found that Rituximab was therapeutic in the treatment of myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disorder. *A 2016 review found that the adjunctive use of standardized pharmaceutical-grade nutrients, known as

nutraceuticals A nutraceutical or bioceutical is a pharmaceutical alternative which claims physiological benefits. In the US, "nutraceuticals" are largely unregulated, as they exist in the same category as dietary supplements and food additives by the FDA, unde ...

, had a therapeutic effect in patients with depression. *Also in 2016, a review found that despite limited data botulinum toxin type A may be beneficial for the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia paroxysms and suggests further study.

Non-pharmacology examples

*A 2014 review found there was a strong therapeutic benefit from

stem cell therapy Stem-cell therapy is the use of stem cells to treat or prevent a disease or condition. , the only established therapy using stem cells is hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. This usually takes the form of a bone-marrow transplantation, bu ...

on organ recovery from injury and that it may also inhibit tumor growth. *A 2015 review found that mindfulness based interventions had a therapeutic effect on

stress reduction Stress management is a wide spectrum of techniques and psychotherapies aimed at controlling a person's level of stress, especially chronic stress, usually for the purpose of and for the motive of improving everyday functioning. Stress produces n ...

for mental illness. *Also in 2015, a review showed that irradiation with

low level laser therapy Low-level laser therapy (LLLT), cold laser therapy, or photobiomodulation (PBM) is a form of medicine that applies low-level (low-power) lasers or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to the surface of the body. Whereas high-power lasers are used in la ...

had the therapeutic effect of increasing

in vitro ''In vitro'' (meaning in glass, or ''in the glass'') studies are performed with microorganisms, cells, or biological molecules outside their normal biological context. Colloquially called " test-tube experiments", these studies in biology a ...

stem cell proliferation rates. *A 2017 review showed aerobic and resistance exercise had a therapeutic effect on the physical and mental well-being of

cancer Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...

survivors. *Also in 2017, a review found that low-intensity extracorporeal shock wave treatment was therapeutic in the treatment of erectile dysfunction.

References

{{reflist, refs= {{cite web , title=Drug, pharmacology and therapeutic , url=https://www.pharmacorama.com/en/Sections/Pharmacology-Definitions.php , website=pharmacorama.com , accessdate=18 July 2018 {{cite journal , last1=Kramer , first1=Thomas A. M. , title=Side Effects and Therapeutic Effects , url=https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/448250 , journal=MedGenMed , year=2003 , volume=5 , issue=1 , page=28 , pmid=12827089 , accessdate=18 July 2018 {{cite web , title=Definition of therapeutic , url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/therapeutic , website=merriam-webster.com , accessdate=18 July 2018 {{cite journal , last1=Fitzgerald , first1=Jonathan B , last2=Schoeberl , first2=Birgit , last3=Nielsen , first3=Ulrik B , last4=Sorger , first4=Peter K , title=Systems biology and combination therapy in the quest for clinical efficacy , journal=Nature Chemical Biology , volume=2 , issue=9 , year=2006 , issn=1552-4450 , doi=10.1038/nchembio817 , pmid=16921358 , pages=458–466, s2cid=12119143 {{cite journal , last1=Morra , first1=Mostafa Ebraheem , last2=Elgebaly , first2=Ahmed , last3=Elmaraezy , first3=Ahmed , last4=Khalil , first4=Adham M. , last5=Altibi , first5=Ahmed M. A. , last6=Vu , first6=Tran Le-Huy , last7=Mostafa , first7=Mostafa Reda , last8=Huy , first8=Nguyen Tien , last9=Hirayama , first9=Kenji , title=Therapeutic efficacy and safety of Botulinum Toxin A Therapy in Trigeminal Neuralgia: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials , journal= The Journal of Headache and Pain , volume=17 , issue=1 , pages=63 , date=5 July 2016 , issn=1129-2369 , doi=10.1186/s10194-016-0651-8 , pmid=27377706 , pmc=4932020 {{cite journal , last1=Sarris , first1=Jerome , last2=Murphy , first2=Jenifer , last3=Mischoulon , first3=David , last4=Papakostas , first4=George I. , last5=Fava , first5=Maurizio , last6=Berk , first6=Michael , last7=Ng , first7=Chee H. , title=Adjunctive Nutraceuticals for Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses , journal=American Journal of Psychiatry , volume=173 , issue=6 , year=2016 , issn=0002-953X , doi=10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.15091228 , pmid=27113121 , pages=575–587, doi-access=free {{cite journal , last1=Iorio , first1=Raffaele , last2=Damato , first2=Valentina , last3=Alboini , first3=Paolo Emilio , last4=Evoli , first4=Amelia , title=Efficacy and safety of rituximab for myasthenia gravis: a systematic review and meta-analysis , journal=Journal of Neurology , volume=262 , issue=5 , date=12 October 2014 , issn=0340-5354 , doi=10.1007/s00415-014-7532-3 , pmid=25308632 , pages=1115–1119, s2cid=34358992 {{cite journal , last=Didari , first=Tina , title=Effectiveness of probiotics in irritable bowel syndrome: Updated systematic review with meta-analysis , journal=World Journal of Gastroenterology , volume=21 , issue=10 , pages=3072–3084 , year=2015 , issn=1007-9327 , doi=10.3748/wjg.v21.i10.3072 , pmid=25780308 , pmc=4356930 {{cite journal , last1=Radha , first1=Maharjan H. , last2=Laxmipriya , first2=Nampoothiri P. , title=Evaluation of biological properties and clinical effectiveness of Aloe vera: A systematic review , journal=Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine , volume=5 , issue=1 , year=2015 , issn=2225-4110 , doi=10.1016/j.jtcme.2014.10.006 , pmid=26151005 , pages=21–26, pmc=4488101 {{cite journal , last1=Lu , first1=Zhihua , last2=Lin , first2=Guiting , last3=Reed-Maldonado , first3=Amanda , last4=Wang , first4=Chunxi , last5=Lee , first5=Yung-Chin , last6=Lue , first6=Tom F. , title=Low-intensity Extracorporeal Shock Wave Treatment Improves Erectile Function: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis , journal=European Urology , volume=71 , issue=2 , year=2017 , issn=0302-2838 , doi=10.1016/j.eururo.2016.05.050 , pmid=27321373 , pages=223–233 {{cite journal , last1=Ginani , first1=Fernanda , last2=Soares , first2=Diego Moura , last3=Barreto , first3=Mardem Portela e Vasconcelos , last4=Barboza , first4=Carlos Augusto Galvão , title=Effect of low-level laser therapy on mesenchymal stem cell proliferation: a systematic review , journal=Lasers in Medical Science , volume=30 , issue=8 , date=13 March 2015 , issn=0268-8921 , doi=10.1007/s10103-015-1730-9 , pmid=25764448 , pages=2189–2194, s2cid=33081269 {{cite journal , last1=Fuller , first1=Joel T , last2=Hartland , first2=Michael C , last3=Maloney , first3=Luke T , last4=Davison , first4=Kade , title=Therapeutic effects of aerobic and resistance exercises for cancer survivors: a systematic review of meta-analyses of clinical trials , journal=British Journal of Sports Medicine , volume=52 , issue=20 , date=16 March 2018 , issn=0306-3674 , doi=10.1136/bjsports-2017-098285 , pmid=29549149 , pages=bjsports–2017–098285, s2cid=3901907 {{cite journal , last1=Gu , first1=Jenny , last2=Strauss , first2=Clara , last3=Bond , first3=Rod , last4=Cavanagh , first4=Kate , title=How do mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction improve mental health and wellbeing? A systematic review and meta-analysis of mediation studies , journal=Clinical Psychology Review , volume=37 , year=2015 , issn=0272-7358 , doi=10.1016/j.cpr.2015.01.006 , pmid=25689576 , pages=1–12 {{cite journal , last1=Akyurekli , first1=Celine , last2=Le , first2=Yevgeniya , last3=Richardson , first3=Richard B. , last4=Fergusson , first4=Dean , last5=Tay , first5=Jason , last6=Allan , first6=David S. , title=A Systematic Review of Preclinical Studies on the Therapeutic Potential of Mesenchymal Stromal Cell-Derived Microvesicles , journal=Stem Cell Reviews and Reports , volume=11 , issue=1 , date=5 August 2014 , issn=1550-8943 , doi=10.1007/s12015-014-9545-9 , pmid=25091427 , pages=150–160, s2cid=14366453 Medical statistics Medical treatments