Why herbs should be treated with caution

Why herbal treatments are so popular

Herbal preparations are often cheaper Modern approaches to the standardization of synthetic medicinal plant raw materials. For example, licorice syrup in comparison with "Ambrobene" has the same pharmacological properties, but costs several times cheaper.
Natural medicines, herbal medicines are available for everyone, as most of them are available over the counter without a prescription. In addition, people themselves can collect plants in places of growth.
It is generally accepted that herbs are harmless and the only obstacle to taking herbal medicine is an allergic reaction.
Herbal remedies can be taken for a long time with minimal side effects. This is possible due to the evolutionarily established biological relationship between the active components of plants and the physiologically active substances of the human body.
The chemical composition of any plant implies the presence of different groups of biologically active substances that affect the deviations in the body. Due to this, using one herbal preparation, several diseases can be cured.

Why phytotherapy is dangerous

Some people still believe that "chemistry is harmful" and are looking for alternatives in natural treatments. In fact, natural preparations are no less dangerous than substances synthesized in laboratories. Taking herbal ingredients without a doctor's prescription can be ineffective and even harm health for the following reasons:

There is no information on the content of biologically active substances

The main criterion for effective herbal treatment is knowledge of the exact amount and composition of plant components that will help cope with the disease and not aggravate the patient's condition.

For example, the leaves of the FS.2.5.0051.15 Salvia officinalis leaves of the medicinal sage are used as a natural antiseptic in the treatment of inflammatory diseases of the upper respiratory tract. This healing effect is provided by the essential oil that is part of the leaves. Only in the laboratory, following the methods of the Federal Electronic Medical Library of the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation - the main document for analyzing the quality of medicines, it is possible to identify the exact amount of essential oil and thereby guarantee its action in case of illness. If there is an insufficient amount of this oil in the plant, then it will not be used to make a medicine - it is simply useless.

With self-collection, it is impossible to accurately determine the content of nutrients and certainly avoid harmful components. In conditions of neglected ecology, plants accumulate heavy metals. The interrelation of secondary metabolism and chemical elements in medicinal plants, which leads to a decrease in the production of useful substances or the loss of their pharmacological properties.

For example, in polluted areas, peppermint produces the Interrelation of secondary metabolism and chemical elements in essential oil medicinal plants by 14% less than the norm. This indicator significantly affects the effectiveness of the chemical composition.

The collection should be carried out by a specialist who will accurately determine the degree of soil and air pollution and select the best places for plant growth.

Natural preparations and preparations with the content of active ingredients established in laboratories can be purchased only in pharmacies.

Treating one condition can worsen another

The plant contains not one substance necessary for the treatment of a specific disease, but a number of components that affect the body.

For example, plantain plantain large leaves (Plantaginis majoris folia) has expectorant and emollient properties, helping to remove phlegm and relieve inflammation in the bronchi. This action is possible mainly due to the combination of saponins, mucus, polysaccharides and akubine alkaloid in the plant.

Saponins help thin the viscous phlegm, making it easier to cough up. Mucus coats the throat, forming a thin layer on the throat, preventing irritants from causing coughing. Polysaccharides strengthen general immunity, and alkaloids are detrimental to pathogenic flora, which helps relieve swelling in the bronchi, restore normal breathing.

But the use of the plant by people with ulcers of the gastrointestinal tract and gastritis, accompanied by high acidity of hydrochloric acid, is contraindicated. Plantain contains bitterness and organic acids that stimulate the production of gastric juice and increase its acidity. With hypoacid gastritis, this is necessary, but with increased acidity it leads to serious complications.

Bitterness - nitrogen-free substances of plant origin of the group of terpenoids, which have a pronounced bitter taste and are used to increase appetite and improve digestion.

Only a doctor can diagnose a concomitant disease. Based on the medical history and knowledge of the biologically active substances of the plant, he will prescribe the intake of safe herbal preparations.

Violation of the route of administration can be life threatening

It is important to follow the rules for taking the medicine, otherwise you can put your life at risk.

A negative outcome is possible when ingestion of celandine herb Celandine herb (Chelidonii majoris herba), which is successfully used to treat skin diseases accompanied by itching. Unfortunately, folk medicine is full of recipes where this herb is advised to be taken orally to disinfect the body.

You should also be careful when using hellebore water (Aqua Veratri) - an antiparasitic agent. Chemerichnaya water is intended exclusively for external use with head lice. There are cases in clinical practice. Case from practice. Poisoning with hellebore alkaloids (poster) of poisoning by accidental ingestion.

These plants are rich in poisonous alkaloids - potent substances that, if swallowed, strike a case from practice. Poisoning with hellebore alkaloids (poster) nervous system, liver, heart rhythm disturbance. In case of poisoning, the stomach should be washed out within two hours and symptomatic treatment should be carried out.

Therefore, you should always follow the directions in the instructions and be careful which plant you use.

The wrong combination of synthetic preparations with herbal preparations can harm

The problem, which is little considered, but is present. It is difficult to trace the dangerous interactions of these types of drugs with each other, because even in the medical history, doctors do not reflect the use of medicinal plants in every case.

For example, older people are given warfarin or acetylsalicylic acid to prevent blood clots. In parallel with this, the patient can take ginkgo biloba (a well-known herbal nootropic) to improve attention and memory, the functions of which are impaired in old age. The combination of these agents makes the blood too fluid from an evidence-based medicine perspective and results in excessive bleeding.

The use of St. John's wort accelerates St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum): drug interactions and clinical outcomes the disintegration of birth control pills, antidepressants and other drugs. Consequently, these groups of drugs go through all stages of metabolism in the body faster and are excreted without having time to provide a therapeutic effect.

Therefore, when you go to a hospital with any disease, do not wait for a doctor's question, but yourself describe in detail what drugs you have been taking and have taken for the last six months, including herbal ones in this list.

Delayed side effects may occur

In the case of herbal medicine, it is difficult to determine delayed side effects. For example, the reduction of herbal preparations from the standpoint of evidence-based medicine in the concentration of potassium in the blood after taking herbal laxatives. The resulting deficiency leads to disruption of the heart, muscle cramps and spasms, numbness of the limbs.

Another example is the aristolochia plant (kirkazon), which has a long history of use. Its ability to cause evidence-based medicine for urinary tract cancer has only recently been identified.

A sudden deterioration in well-being, despite a healthy lifestyle, can be the result of uncontrolled use of medications in the past, and this is always worth remembering.

How to use plants without harm to health

Medicinal plants will only be safe and effective if created according to quality criteria. You can get acquainted with them by contacting the Federal Electronic Medical Library to the State Pharmacopoeia of the Russian Federation of the current edition.

In the laboratory of the manufacturer, plants are subjected to various types of analysis: microscopy, chemical analysis for the content of biologically active substances, verification of the authenticity and absence of impurities, as well as other studies depending on the active components of a particular object.

If the indicators are met, then the phytopreparation is released to the market. It is sold only in a pharmacy. And it is better if on the recommendation of a doctor.

Herbs can actually help relieve symptoms, cure disease, and be virtually harmless when used as medicines rather than dietary supplements. Now the assortment of pharmacies contains a large number of herbal supplements, and they are actively offered to customers.

Unlike drugs, the exact amount of the active ingredient in supplements is unknown, since the manufacturer is not obliged to conduct research and regulation of the content, he only approves the composition of the MUK 2.3.2.721-98 Determination of the safety and efficacy of dietary supplements. The registration procedure SanPiN 2.3.2.1290-03 The hygienic requirements for the organization of production and circulation of dietary supplements for an additive are simpler than for a medicine, since it is carried out by Rospotrebnadzor, which greatly facilitates the procedure for entering the market.

That is, a dietary supplement can be both an assistant in the prevention of diseases, and a dummy or a harmful combination of substances. Cases of critical high blood pressure, severe allergic reactions, kidney and liver damage have been reported after taking Chinese herbal supplements Adverse effects of plant food supplements and botanical preparations.

Therefore, when buying, pay attention to the packaging. It doesn't matter if you buy herbal tablets, the herb itself or the leaves: the inscription "Not a drug" indicates that you have a dietary supplement in front of you.

For the same reason, self-picking of plants gives even less guarantees of safety and quality than buying dietary supplements. And self-medication can turn into individual intolerance and complications of the disease. In this case, no valerian will calm the nerves, but only shake them more with its uselessness or a sudden deterioration in general condition.