There is a common concept about
herbs that “every herb is Safe” and more particularly that
Herbal Drugs are safer than Alopathic Drugs , which is not always true! The most disasterous conditions arrive when we use them concomitantly. At many instances we observe people using herbal medicines for the life style diseases. Life style disease as the name indicates are those, which result due to the disturbances of routine, busy schedules, disturbances in the quality of life, unusual thinking, and prevalence of unhealthy or more specifically adulterated foodstuff. For the most common instance is the Potato Green or the young sprout s of potatoes, which are usually available in the market. These if eaten can lea d to
toxicity termed”somnolence”characterized by Gastric cramps for the most first proceeded by confusion, depression, increased listening threshold. It is important to note here that cooking potatoes wont digest this component i.e solanine principles responsible for the toxic reactions. The most common practice in both East and West is the concurrent use of both herbal and allopath medicine, which can be a critical situation. Herbs may mimic as well as oppose or magnify the action of drugs! The most common but critical situations may arise with the use of herbal medicines along with
Warfarin (the most common anticoagulant used) Warfarin along with Gingkobiloba: It is a fashion now to use ginkobiloba extract to improve the activity of mind. It helps in the relaxation of mind as well as it is effective in cerebrospinal insufficiency. Warfarin and gingko if used in combination can
increase the chances of bleeding. Thus magnifying the response of the drug Warfarin Warfarin and garlic: Garlic is found to be a very useful remedy for anthelminths as well as lowering of blood pressure. Here again excessive use of garlic with warfarin will increase the
bleeding potential. Another Over The Counter(OTC) category of drugs available is NSAID s i.e Non Steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs. According to a variety of studies conducted at the Research institute of Faculty of Pharmacy , University of Karachi, it can produce even fatal interactions, a few of them reported are: NSAIDS used with “Bear Beri” Bear beri is used for arthritis and gout as well as for jaundice . when given with NSAIDs it increases the effect of NSAIDs by decreasing their excretion from the body ,Hematopoeitic system is the most alteref one with GI Bleeding as an enhanced toxicity factor NSAIDS with Bil Bery: Bil Bery is obtained from Baberus vulgaria, a common hemopath medicine used for kidney troubles, cholic and liver disease. It can also increase Bleeding profile of NSAIDS NSAIDS with Turmeric: Similar Bleeding risk but here it is notable that to stop this bleeding Corriander and turmeric can be given together Herbs not only interact with medicines but they also do with food especially drinks such as Alcohal Such as : Alcohal and Chammomile: Chamomile is used as a herbal tea and acts as an analgesic and antipyretic (lowers fever) but contains chemasoline and mizaboline as its major principles which can increase the toxicity of alcohol. Alcohal and Celery: Seeds of celery when taken along with alcohol can cause CNS toxicity There are several other interactions , a few of them reported , a few yet under study But one should be careful about using herbs especially when they don’t know much about them. This is not always practical though because herbal system of therapy is the oldest most and folk system of medicine and today’s world relies a great on it!
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