Herbal medicine or traditional medicine is one of the alternative medicines that is very loved by the general public, the article is that every traditional medicine has long been part of the culture of the Indonesian people as a solution when sick, besides that Indonesia is rich in spices and natural ingredients to mix medicine herbs
But wait guys, not all traditional medicines are safe for consumption because we have to know the main ingredients to make these traditional medicines. sometimes there are persons who add Medicinal Chemicals into traditional medicine which causes the traditional medicine to be dangerous for consumption. The question now is what are Medicinal Chemicals?
In accordance with the laws and regulations in force in Indonesia, traditional medicines are prohibited from using: Chemicals isolated or synthetic with medicinal properties; Narcotics or psychotropics; and protected animals or plants.
The dangers of various medicinal chemicals that are often mixed into traditional medicine
Medicinal chemicals that are often mixed into traditional medicine and the dangers are as follows:
Phenylbutazone
Side effects: Gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea, diarrhea, sometimes bleeding and ulcers, hypersensitivity reactions, especially angioedema and bronchospasm, headache, dizziness, vertigo, hearing loss, photosensitivity, and hematuria.
Antalgin (Metampirone)
Side effects: Long-term use can cause agranulocytosis.
Dexamethasone
Side Effects: Glucocorticoids include diabetes and osteoporosis which are dangerous for the elderly. Mental disturbances, euphoria, and myopathic may occur. Corticosteroids in children can cause growth disorders, while in pregnant women can affect the child’s adrenal growth. Mineralocorticoids are hypertension, sodium, and fluid pretension, and hypokalemia.
Prednisone
Side effects:
Gastrointestinal symptoms: nausea, hiccups, dyspepsia, peptic ulcers, flatulence, acute pancreatitis, oesophageal ulcers, candidiasis.
Musculoskeletal symptoms: proximal myopathy, osteoporosis, avascular osteonecrosis.
Endocrine symptoms: menstrual disorders, nitrogen and calcium balance disorders, sensitivity to and increased severity of infection.
Eye symptoms: glaucoma, thinning of the cornea and sclera, recurrence of viral or fungal infection in the eye.
Other symptoms: impaired healing, skin atrophy, bruising, acne, fluid and electrolyte balance disorders, leukocytosis, hypersensitivity reactions (including anaphylaxis), thromboembolism, lethargy.
theophylline
Side effects: Tachycardia, palpitations, nausea, gastrointestinal disturbances, headache, insomnia, and arrhythmias.
Hydrochlorthiazide (HCT)
Side effects: Postural hypotension and mild gastrointestinal disturbances, impotence (reversible when the drug is discontinued), hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, hyponatremia, hypercalcemia, alkalosis, hypochloremia, hyperuricemia, gout, hyperglycemia, and elevated plasma cholesterol levels.
Furosemide
Side effects: Hyponatremia, hypokalemia, hypomagnesia, alkalosis, hypochloremia, increased calcium excretion, hypotension, gastrointestinal disturbances, hyperuricemia, gout, hyperglycemia, transient increases in plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Glibenclamide
Side effects: Generally mild and low in frequency including gastrointestinal symptoms and headaches.
Cyproheptadine
Side effects: Nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, diarrhea, hemolytic anemia, leukopenia, agranulocytosis, and thrombocytopenia.
Chlorpheniramine maleate (CTM)
Side effects: Sedation, gastrointestinal disturbances, anti-muscarinic effects, hypotension, muscle weakness, tinnitus, euphoria, headache, CNS stimulation, allergic reactions, and blood disorders.
Paracetamol
Side effects: Rare, except skin rash, blood disorders, acute pancreatitis, and liver damage after overdose.
Diclofenac Sodium
Side effects:
Stomach disturbances, headache, nervousness, skin redness, swelling, depression, drowsiness but unable to sleep, blurred vision, eye disorders, tinnitus, pruritus.
For hypersensitivity: causes renal impairment, blood disorders.
Sildenafil Citrate
Side effects: Dyspepsia, headache, flushing, dizziness, visual disturbances, nasal congestion, priapism, and heart disease.
Sibutramine Hydrochloride
Side effects: Can increase blood pressure and heart rate and difficulty sleeping
Tips for quickly identifying the presence of Medicinal Chemicals in traditional medicine
What can be done quickly as a precautionary measure against traditional medicines that are not of good quality and may even be unsafe are:
If the product is claimed to be able to cure various diseases.
If the benefits or work of traditional medicine is felt so quickly.
Source: BPOM