Studies show some success in preventing AMS with the herb Ginko Biloba, even better than ibuprofen in some trials, as good as diamox in other studies. They seem to use a small number of subjects in most of these studies, and the exposure to altitude varies in rate and elevation. I think they need to do better research on these alternatives.
I like the comment from Herbal Ed on the ibuprofen article. He's been making and selling herbal extracts for probably 30+ years. If you've ever been in a health food store, you've probably seen his extracts and other products.
"To prevent or moderate AMS I prefer to go the more natural route. I take regular doses of the extracts of Siberian Ginseng root and Rhodiola root. When in the highlands of Peru I also drink lots of Coca leaf tea. But what works the best of all is frequently breathing in medical-grade oxygen .... esp. when experiencing AMS symptoms and while sleeping. In Lima, Peru small, portable canisters of medical-grade oxygen can be rented from many pharmacies."
