The reasons for the adverse effects of Chinese medicine:
(1) Herbs with strong medicine efficacy have more chance to lead to adverse reactions.
(2) Multi-reactions: since every herb has many effects, even some effects are inverse each other, for treating a particular disease or syndrome, other effects may become the adverse effects.
(3) Discordance between the herbs and the syndrome: the herbs do not accord with the syndromes.
(4) Improper dosage.
(5) Poor herb preparation.
(6) Incorporation of herbs.
(7) Regarding human body, there are several aspects: racial differences; physical differences; sex and age.
(8) Subjective factors: wrong application of the herbs.
(9) Incorrect medication methods.
Correct view of the adverse reactions of Chinese medicine:
We cannot ignore the treatment effect of the herbs due to the probability of adverse effect, conversely, we should recognize herbs’ adverse effects correctly and apply the herbs actively and rationally.
Encourage the reasonable usage of the Chinese medicine:
In 1985, the WHO Expert Committee on rational drug use proposed the definition of the rational medicine application in Nairobi, which is “Drugs used by patients for their clinical needs, the dose and treatment consistent with individual patient situation, the expenditure for the medicine are the lowest for both patients and the society”. According to this definition, rational drug use must meet the four principles: effectiveness, security, adaptability, cost-effective.
Key words: Adverse Effects of Chinese medicine, Rational Application
Writer: Bifang Zhang
Skin Disease Treatment Centre, Xiantao city, Hubei Province (433000)
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