Many people are afraid of drug side effects. Especially preparations that are popularly called “chemical” or “from the laboratory” are eyed skeptically and avoided if possible. An apparently “gentle” alternative seems to be phytotherapy: preparations obtained from plants. But careless handling of herbal medicines can be harmful!
Active substances with side effects
Drug therapy is a science in itself. This is because most active ingredients and preparations have more than one effect. When it comes to undesirable effects, we speak of so-called side effects. Avoiding them and achieving the greatest possible desired effect is what makes a good therapy. In addition, the human organism is a highly complicated apparatus in which countless biochemical processes interlock. Consciously influencing one element – for example, the intestinal flora or a hormone – can lead to a whole chain of results.
Self-medication with herbal preparations.
Many patients like to reach for herbal preparations when self-medicating, in the mistaken belief that “gentle” phytotherapy can do no harm. Alfred S. from Berlin also tried to scare away his depressive mood with a preparation of St. John’s wort. “After a beautiful day in the garden, my arms were suddenly covered all over with itchy blisters,” he reports. The family doctor didn’t know what to do at first, until they came up with St. John’s wort capsules. This plant preparation makes the skin react extremely to UV radiation. Photosensitization is called this effect in the technical jargon.
Phytotherapeutics
St. John’s wort: The strong effect of St. John’s wort was also demonstrated in a recent study. Not only against depression, even for the prevention of cancer, the strong herb could be used, as researchers from the University Hospital Charité in Berlin have found. St. John’s wort, or rather some of its ingredients, protect against the environmental toxin benzpyrene, which is found in car exhaust fumes and which is converted in the body into a carcinogenic substance.
Echinacea: Another popular phytotherapeutic is Echinacea, the extract from the yellow coneflower. It is said to boost the immune system when colds threaten. However, even this sword has two edges: Some people have al lergic reactions to the plant extract. Reactions range from a simple skin rash to threatening shock.
An allergist can determine whether there is an allergy to the preparation by means of a simple test. Those who take medicines themselves should also bear in mind that phytotherapeutics can interact with other preparations, i.e. that the effect of one preparation can be strengthened or weakened by another. Chronically ill patients in particular should seek the advice of their treating physician to be sure that taking the additional herbal medicine does not cause more harm than good.
Herbal therapeutics in pregnancy
Herbal therapeutics should also not be used carelessly during pregnancy. A case was reported from Canada in which a woman gave birth to an overgrown, overdeveloped child. Even before birth, she had frequently suffered from premature labor pains. The culprit was probably that the baby’s mother had ingested high doses of ginseng during pregnancy.
Ginseng: Ginseng is a health-promoting compound that has a positive effect on elevated blood pressure, can alleviate digestive problems, and also improves concentration. When making herbal teas and other preparations yourself, it is important to remember that, unlike pharmaceutically produced preparations, the active ingredient content of a plant can hardly be determined in advance. Depending on the time of harvest, sun exposure and the area where the plants are grown, the ingredients can vary many times over.
