When herbal medicine turns into poison

Cao Nam rustic incense is a component of products considered food supplements with different therapeutic properties, such as eczema or obesity. However, they contain a terrifying main active ingredient, which is a molecule that causes gene mutations and causes cancer in the stomach, bladder, kidney and testes.

In early 2004, Professor Jean - Louis VanherWeghem, of Erasme Hospital in Brussels, Belgium, was surprised to find that the Department of Kidney was in charge of receiving a large number of women with severe kidney disease.

In just two years 2004-2005, the number of patients exceeded 100, which is the case of kidney failure especially in people without a medical history. As a result, the kidneys are completely destroyed and 70% of female patients are sustained by dialysis or artificial kidney transplantation.

Professor Jean - Louis VanherWeghem (Photo: ucb-group)

Half of patients have kidney, urethral or bladder cancer. Analysis of their kidney tissue, found a change in DNA. Health professionals found out and found that these female patients had a common point, that they followed a treatment to reduce fat at the same clinic, using a substance with a substrate Herbal medicine according to traditional Chinese medicine.

These ' naturally ' and ' harmless ' plants are capable of disturbing the genetic heritage in the human cell center.

An epidemiological investigation quickly identified the culprit: Aristolochia fangchi , a plant recorded in the ancient Chinese medicine of the South wood incense family.

However, all of the Aristoloches plants contain a terrifying main active ingredient, those that cause gene mutations and cause cancer to the stomach, bladder, kidney and testes.

Therefore, the use of all plants containing these substances has been banned in most countries for many years. This prohibition includes herbal remedies that can be used to replace the Nam Moc incense by mistake, of course prohibiting high or high quality products containing Nam Moc Huong.

Cao Nam carpentry continues to be marketed, a component of products considered food supplements with different therapeutic properties, such as eczema or obesity. Products sold on the Internet cannot be controlled.

In early 2006, the International Center for Cancer Research (CIRC), based in Lyon, France, published an 82-volume document, systematically statistics on carcinogens, including Nam Moc Huong.

This document also names other plants, which are also carcinogenic at least on animals. Causing cancer is not the only risk. Some medicinal herbs sold in drugstores also have many harmful and even deadly effects, particularly the number of victims recorded because the ephedra (pressedhédra) in the United States has reached several hundred. However, this poison is still traded even though it has been banned in some places.

The ephedra is a small plant, with yellow flowers and red fruits, which the Western pharmaceutical industry has extracted pressedhédrine to relieve nasal congestion and make asthma medicine, sold by prescription and in clear doses.

Oriental medicine doctors also use this substance. On the Internet, ephedra was advertised as a fat-digesting, plant-derived (ie harmless) drug, reducing the rate of triglycerides and cholesterol. It is also praised for its spectacular and harmonious muscle mass development, giving the body a supernatural stamina, a refreshing feeling.

Nam Moc Huong tree.
(Photo: CAND)

In short, it is a perfect stimulant, which is considered a natural moderate supplement in some gyms.

According to CIRC statistics, in 2005 alone, the ephemeral use of ephemeral, only for fat reduction purposes, caused at least 81 deaths in the United States. Preparations containing ephedra also cause dizziness, tremor, headache, arrhythmia, seizures, kidney disorders, kidney stones and very toxic to the liver.

The ephedra becomes especially dangerous when combined with stimulants such as caffeine and caffeine-containing items such as coffee, green tea, cola seeds .

The document published by CIRC also emphasizes the differences between the national regulations regarding herbs. In Germany, herbal remedies must also follow the same rules as any other conventional medicine.

In contrast, in the United States, herbal products should not be considered as drugs but only as dietary supplements, even as food, should be sold and consumed almost freely.

Also according to CIRC reports, the same name, in Chinese and Japanese characters, sometimes only two completely different plants. And the analysis often shows that labels are not always correct. For example, ginseng can contain about 50% and 150% of the recorded dose, it can also be 0%.

Sometimes the reverse also occurs: the composition contains active substances, but not on the packaging. Traditional pharmaceutical producers do not believe in the effectiveness of a panacea, but want to satisfy customers, so they have added medicinal powder to pharmaceutical ingredients.

So in Belgium, there are guaranteed anti-inflammatory substances that are herbal, but contain cortisone. In Canada, the nation's Medical Inspection Agency discovered Hua Fo tablets, a special product of a Chinese pharmaceutical company, introduced to help improve sexual function through a mixture. Medicinal herbs, actually filled with sildenafil, ie viagra.

CIRC's recommendation also said: When we think that being treated in a traditional and natural way, only absorbing good medicinal plants, we ourselves accidentally play games of chance with our health because no know exactly what we use.

CIRC also notes that traditional Asian and African remedies are often misused in Western countries, for example being advertised to help reduce or increase muscle mass, but they are not used for these indications in their original countries.

Since 2006, the World Health Organization has developed a global strategy related to traditional medicine. This is a long-term plan, aimed at understanding the above medicine, assessing the effectiveness and benefits of public health in the country of origin and developed countries, in which acupuncture and Herbal medicine plays an important role.

VH