Be wary of liver damage if you use medicinal herbs in soups indiscriminately

　　In the minds of most Chinese people, traditional Chinese medicines passed down from ancient times are all natural, safe and non-toxic. They are much safer than Western medicines and can be taken with confidence. Even if you use it wrongly, there is no serious harm. But in fact, Chinese medicine is not non-toxic, nor is it safer than Western medicine. Professional pharmacists remind that Chinese medicine, like Western medicine, is a medicine with clear indications, usage and dosage, and all have certain side effects. It is definitely a misunderstanding to think that "Chinese medicine = non-toxic". Because any drug needs to be metabolized by the liver, improper use of traditional Chinese medicine will also increase the metabolic burden on the liver and even lead to liver damage. Therefore, when using traditional Chinese medicine, we must pay attention to clarify misunderstandings and master scientific and standardized usage methods. If symptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, epigastric discomfort, jaundice of the skin and sclera, or light-colored stools occur while taking traditional Chinese medicine, you should seek medical attention immediately.

　　Be wary of four major misunderstandings about traditional Chinese medicine

　　Misunderstanding 1: Taking Chinese medicine as a tonic for a long time

　　Expert: It will unnecessarily increase the metabolic burden on the liver

　　“In the opinion of many people, Chinese medicine can 'cure a disease and maintain health without disease', so they like to buy Chinese medicine to supplement their health. ”According to professional pharmacists, many people take Chinese medicine as tonics for a long time despite being in good health.

　　Professional pharmacists say that even traditional Chinese medicine pays attention to the "balance of yin and yang, qi and blood", and what is missing can be replenished. Many people feel that "the body is a little weak", but they can't tell whether it is a yin deficiency, a yang deficiency, a blood deficiency or a qi deficiency, so they just "make up" randomly. Some people are physically strong, but just think that "there is no harm in taking supplements", so they take certain nourishing Chinese medicines for a long time. As a result, the metabolic burden on the liver is increased unnecessarily. Therefore, we must get rid of the habit of "taking Chinese medicine even when nothing happens". Families with the habit of making soup should not use medicinal materials to make soup casually.

　　Misunderstanding 2: Use health medicines containing traditional Chinese medicine to maintain your skin.

　　Expert: Bitter cold laxative is only suitable for acute constipation

　　Professional pharmacists say that currently, many health products claiming to contain traditional Chinese medicine ingredients are sold on the market. Among them, rhubarb, aloe vera, senna, etc. are packaged as various health care products that "moisten the intestines, laxative, detoxify, and..." and claim to be used to treat chronic constipation, obesity, etc. Therefore, many beauty lovers choose to take such health products, hoping to achieve beauty.

　　“In fact, Chinese medicine pays great attention to syndrome differentiation and application. ”Professional pharmacists believe that rhubarb, aloe vera, and senna are bitter-cold laxatives and are only suitable for acute constipation caused by excess heat. They are not suitable for patients with deficiency diseases, the elderly, and those with chronic constipation. Long-term use may cause acute liver damage such as jaundice, melanosis of the intestinal mucosa, and low immunity. “In addition, it may also lead to anemia caused by excessive menstruation in women, and amenorrhea caused by ovarian damage. ”

　　Misunderstanding 3: The dosage and time of taking traditional Chinese medicine are arbitrary

　　Expert: Many traditional Chinese medicines are toxic and can cause poisoning if overdosed

　　“We often encounter some patients in clinical practice who think that traditional Chinese medicine is used to regulate the body, so the dosage and time of taking the medicine can be arbitrary. Some patients will even increase the dosage of the medicine on their own, or take it for a few more days without permission. ” Professional pharmacists say this practice is absolutely taboo. In the use of traditional Chinese medicine, the main cause of adverse reactions is long-term or excessive dosage. Because many traditional Chinese medicines themselves contain toxicity, such as cinnabar, realgar, toad venom, aconite, etc., overdose can lead to poisoning. “The liver itself is particularly sensitive and fragile. Long-term or excessive drug metabolism can easily increase the burden on the liver, damage the liver, and aggravate the condition. ”

　　Professional pharmacists emphasize that traditional Chinese medicine also needs to be used strictly in accordance with the doctor's instructions, and do not change the dosage, time and course of treatment at will. The dosage of traditional Chinese medicine is based on the same traditional Chinese medicine, but different dosages can play different roles in the prescription. There are strict requirements on the dosage of toxic traditional Chinese medicine. Increasing the dosage at will may cause poisoning. For example, small and medium doses of rhubarb can help reduce gallbladder and reduce jaundice and diarrhea, but excessive doses can cause bilirubin metabolism disorders and aggravate jaundice.

　　In addition, the time of taking medication also needs to be noted. Generally speaking, Chinese medicine should be taken within 30 to 60 minutes after a meal to avoid irritation of the gastric mucosa by the ingredients of Chinese medicine; do not drink alcohol when drinking Chinese medicine, because alcohol may affect the metabolism of the drug, causing excessive blood concentration and drug accumulation.

　　Misunderstanding 4: Believe in the miraculous effects of folk remedies and secret recipes

　　Expert: Most folk remedies and secret recipes contain liver-damaging drugs

　　“There are too many so-called folk remedies and secret recipes circulating among the people," said a professional pharmacist. For patients who are deeply troubled by diseases, these so-called folk remedies and secret recipes have a magical appeal. Some patients would rather trust folk remedies than doctors’ scientific and standardized treatment methods.

　　“In fact, this is very dangerous. ”Professional pharmacists explained that most of the various folk remedies and secret recipes contain liver-damaging drugs. “Of course, folk remedies and secret recipes may work for individual people, but it is probably just a coincidence and does not mean that everyone can imitate them. ”

　　Moreover, Chinese medicine pays attention to syndrome differentiation and treatment. For example, if it is a cold caused by wind-heat, symptoms such as cough, coughing up thin phlegm, runny nose, aversion to cold and cold, etc., but the use of pungent and cooling medicines such as Prunella vulgaris, forsythia, mint, and mulberry leaves will make the situation worse;

　　Experts remind: Do not take Chinese and Western medicines together without authorization

　　“The elderly, children, the frail, pregnant, and those with liver and kidney dysfunction need to be extra cautious when taking traditional Chinese medicine. ”Professional pharmacists remind that because children’s livers are not yet fully developed, elderly people’s liver metabolic function declines, pregnant women have special physical conditions, and chronic patients with liver function damage due to diseases such as diabetes and chronic hepatitis patients are more susceptible to drug-induced liver damage due to long-term use of one or more drugs. “Therefore, when these people use traditional Chinese medicine, they should consider it carefully and try to use as little or no substances that damage the liver as possible. If they need to use traditional Chinese medicine for a long time, especially those with liver damage, it is best to monitor liver function regularly and take the medicine correctly under the guidance of a doctor. ”

　　“Especially when taking Chinese and Western medicine together, be sure to consult a physician or pharmacist for advice. ”Professional pharmacists emphasize that some drugs are not harmful to the liver if taken alone, but if taken at the same time, the drugs may interact with each other and cause liver damage. “Therefore, when using drugs in combination, drug interactions must be considered to avoid the accumulation of hepatotoxicity. ”

　　Professional pharmacists remind you that if you experience symptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, epigastric discomfort, jaundice of the skin and sclera, or light-colored stools while taking traditional Chinese medicine, you should be alert to possible liver damage and seek medical examination immediately. In addition, when purchasing Chinese medicinal materials, you must go to a regular business establishment, because there are many cases of Chinese medicines with the same name and foreign substances having the same name. Without certain professional knowledge, it is difficult to distinguish the true from the false. In addition, the origin, planting, harvesting, processing, etc. of Chinese medicines are different, which will lead to uneven quality of the medicinal materials. In addition, the accumulation of pesticide residues and pollutants may be the cause of liver damage caused by traditional Chinese medicine.