Caution: folk herbal medicines!
Australian scientist warned about the dangers of "herbal preparations"
Copper newsHerbal medicines pose a health hazard both by themselves and in combination with other medications, according to PhysOrg (Herbal medicines can be lethal, pathologist warns).
This conclusion was reached by Professor Roger Byard of the Australian University of Adelaide (University of Adelaide). A report on his research (A Review of the Potential Forensic Significance of Traditional Herbal Medicines) is published in the Journal of Forensic Sciences.
The scientist analyzed the composition of 251 herbal preparations supplied to the United States from Asian countries. During the study, it was found that 36 of them contained arsenic, 35 contained mercury, and lead was found in another 24.
Byard also studied cases of poisoning with pharmaceutical products of plant origin. In particular, lead poisoning was recorded in a 5-year-old child who took 63 grams of the drug "Tibetan herbal vitamins" (Tibetan herbal vitamins) for four years. Another boy, who suffered from retinal cancer, was poisoned with arsenic after taking one of the remedies of traditional Indian medicine.
According to the researcher, the Chinese drug "Chan su" (Chan su), used to treat sore throats, boils and tachycardia, is made on the basis of a poisonous secret of toads, which can cause sudden cardiac arrest. Among the side effects of "herbal" drugs, Byard also named heart, kidney and liver failure, strokes, epileptic seizures, coordination disorders and muscle weakness.
In addition, the scientist noted that herbal remedies are dangerous to take in combination with conventional medicines. Byard describes a case where a patient who took an epilepsy medication along with a Chinese herbal remedy fell into a coma. St. John's wort preparations reduce the effectiveness of warfarin and can provoke intermenstural bleeding in women taking oral contraceptives. In some cases, taking steroids together with herbal medicines caused hormonal disorders.
According to Professor Byard, herbal preparations have gained considerable popularity in recent years. These funds are used by about 30 percent of US residents, often without informing the attending physician.
Portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru10.02.2010