Uncle Liu is 69 years old this year, and his life after retirement is quite comfortable, but he is always troubled by waist and leg pain. Although it's not a serious illness, it makes people worry from time to time.
Once exercising with a few old friends, I heard Lao Wang say that soaking in water with Panax notoginseng can relieve waist and leg pain, and Uncle Liu was moved.
He asked for some notoginseng seeds from a friend and happily planted them on his balcony. For a long time after that, Uncle Liu insisted on soaking in water with Panax notoginseng to drink.
But three months later, Uncle Liu felt that his stomach was swollen and panicked, and he still hurt badly from time to time. So, he hurried to the hospital.
As soon as the test results came out, Uncle Liu was shocked, "hepatic veno-occlusive disease" turned out to be drug-induced liver injury. The doctor quickly performed a paracentesis and drained the ascites in his stomach.
The doctor asked Uncle Liu in detail, and then told him that there was something wrong with the notoginseng soaked water he drank. It turned out that Uncle Liu planted notoginseng, which was not the same thing as the notoginseng sold in the pharmacy. This kind of notoginseng is poisonous and easy to hurt the liver when drunk.
After hearing this, Uncle Liu suddenly realized that he had been drinking the wrong medicine. He secretly rejoiced that he had found it early, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable. Since then, he has never dared to take medicine casually.
So, what is the difference between Panax notoginseng and the notoginseng you can buy in pharmacies, why does it lead to such serious consequences, and how can we prevent similar tragedies from happening?
01
In the rich treasure trove of Chinese herbal medicines, Panax notoginseng is known as "gold does not change", and its unique effects of blood circulation and blood stasis, swelling and pain relief are highly respected by traditional Chinese medicine.
However, Tu Sanqi is not the real Panax notoginseng. Panax notoginseng is actually a collective name for a variety of plants, including chrysanthemum notoginseng, vine notoginseng, etc., which are not officially included in the national pharmacopoeia.
Although Panax notoginseng also has certain effects of clearing heat and detoxifying, dissipating stasis and reducing swelling, its potential harm cannot be ignored compared with Panax notoginseng.
The pyrrolidine alkaloids contained in Panax notoginseng are a highly hepatotoxic component.
Long-term consumption of a large amount of Panax notoginseng can lead to serious liver damage and even life-threatening. Therefore, we must clearly distinguish between Panax notoginseng and Panax notoginseng to avoid misuse and abuse.
In traditional Chinese culture, the application of Chinese herbal medicines has a long history and profound heritage. However, with the change of the times and the increasing prosperity of the Chinese herbal medicine market, some fake and shoddy Chinese herbal medicines are also mixed in.
This requires us to have the ability to distinguish the authenticity of Chinese herbal medicines when purchasing and using them, so as to avoid unnecessary harm.
02
(1) Tripterygium wilfordii: Although it can treat a variety of diseases such as nephrotic syndrome and rheumatoid arthritis, long-term use will cause damage to the body's digestive, blood, reproductive and endocrine systems.
Especially for female patients, long-term use of Tripterygium wilfordii may cause adverse reactions such as menstrual disorders and loss of libido.
(2) Polygonum multiflori: Raw Polygonum multiflorum has the effect of moistening the intestines and laxative, treating malaria, while cooked Polygonum multiflorum can benefit sperm and blood, nourish the liver and kidneys, and black hair.
However, if unprocessed Polygonum multiflorum is taken, the anthraquinone derivative chrysophanol may trigger liver damage and intestinal congestion.
(3) Artemisia artemisia leaves: It is often used to treat dysmenorrhea and prevent diseases, but long-term use of mugwort leaves may cause liver damage and even induce diseases such as liver cirrhosis.
(4) Senna: It is mostly used to treat acute constipation, but overdose may harm the liver. Because anthones-like active products produced by intestinal metabolism are potentially harmful to the liver.
03
(1) Do not take home remedies indiscriminately: Many folk home remedies have not been scientifically verified, and blind use may bring unpredictable risks. Therefore, we should avoid casually trying unproven home remedies for treatment.
(2) Follow the doctor's instructions to use medicines: When using Chinese herbal medicines, you must strictly follow the doctor's instructions for use. The doctor will formulate a reasonable treatment plan according to the specific condition and physical condition of the patient to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the medication.
(3) Don't blindly take tonic: Many people think that Chinese herbal medicines have the effect of nourishing and maintaining health, so they blindly take tonic.
However, over-supplementation is likely to backfire, increasing the burden on the body and even causing damage. We should arrange our diet and rest time reasonably to maintain good health, without additional supplements.
(4) Regular examination of liver function: It is very necessary for people who often take drugs to check their liver function. Through the examination, the problem can be detected in time and the corresponding treatment measures can be taken to avoid the deterioration of the condition.
04
Although Chinese herbal medicines have unique curative effects, they also require us to use them correctly to avoid misuse and abuse.
We must have a clear understanding of the difference between notoginseng and notoginseng to prevent the harm caused by misuse.
At the same time, we should also be vigilant against other Chinese herbal medicines that may harm the liver and kidneys, such as Tripterygium wilfordii, Polygonum multiflori, etc., and use them correctly under the guidance of a doctor.
More importantly, we must learn to use medicines scientifically, not to take home remedies at will, not to blindly take supplements, and to check liver function regularly to protect our health.
Only by using Chinese herbal medicines scientifically and rationally can we fully enjoy the curative effects brought by Chinese herbal medicines and avoid unnecessary risks.