What are the medicinal herbal therapeutic preparations

The medical herbal therapy preparations currently approved for sale in China are all approved drugs that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and have clear indications and usage specifications. Commonly used clinical ones include Lianhua Qingwen Capsules, Compound Salvia Dripping Pills, Pudilan Anti-inflammatory Oral Liquid, Mugwort Wentong Patch, Mayinglong Musk Hemorrhoid Ointment, Yunnan Baiyao Aerosol, etc. They are essentially different from folk homemade herbal remedies and health-preserving herbal products.

Many people’s impression of herbal preparations is still that of bitter soup cooked in a clay pot. In fact, most of the current medical-grade herbal preparations have been purified by modern processes, with more stable concentrations of active ingredients and fewer impurities. Take Lianhua Qingwen, which has been prepared by many families during the epidemic in the past few years. It is based on two classic ancient recipes: Maxing Shigan Decoction and Yinqiao Powder. The raw materials such as Forsythia suspensa, honeysuckle, and Zhihuang ephedra have been extracted from active ingredients and fully toxicologically tested. They are suitable for mild cases. It has a clear relieving effect on fever and sore throat caused by COVID-19 and wind-heat colds. However, academic circles have always had different views on its scope of application. For example, if people with spleen and stomach deficiency take it blindly without symptomatic symptoms, they will easily suffer from diarrhea and abdominal pain, and the gain will not be worth the loss.

In addition to oral administration, topical herbal preparations are widely used in rehabilitation, dermatology, and anorectal medicine. Yunnan Baiyao aerosol, which is often used by people who like sports, is also a typical medical herbal preparation. Spraying it can quickly reduce swelling and relieve pain in acute sprains, which is much more effective than many simple cold compresses. Last week I treated a sedentary programmer who had hemorrhoids that made him unable to sit still. In addition to regular oral medications, I prescribed him two boxes of Mayinglong musk hemorrhoid ointment. The musk, bezoar, and calamine in it are all traditional herbal raw materials. After processing, the irritation of direct use of raw medicinal materials was greatly reduced. After three days of use, he came back and told me that most of the pain was gone. Orthopedics often prescribe Mugwort Wen Tong Patch to patients with lumbar protrusion and lumbar muscle strain. It purifies mugwort leaf oil and flavonoids. After transdermal absorption, it can help relieve local inflammatory pain. I have met many elderly patients who suffer from back and leg pain during the change of seasons. When used together with oral analgesics, the recovery speed is much faster than chemical drugs alone.

Of course, many colleagues in the industry now question the imperfect labeling of adverse reactions of some herbal preparations. Indeed, some products that were launched earlier have the adverse reaction column marked "not yet clear." This is what the drug regulatory department is now requiring companies to conduct additional clinical trials and gradually improve. When we prescribe clinically, we also specifically remind patients to pay attention to the reactions after taking the medicine. If there is any discomfort, stop taking the medicine in time for follow-up. We never think that there are no side effects at all just because it is a herbal preparation. Usually, many patients ask me whether herbal preparations are milder than chemical drugs. I always tell them that no matter what type of medicine it is, as long as it is a medical-grade product, it must be used according to the symptoms and according to the doctor's instructions. Don't just add more or mix the ingredients just because they are herbal, as this may lead to problems.