Side Effects of Chinese Herbs

Chinese herbs have been used for thousands of years to treat many different conditions and are considered one of the most effective and safe modes of alternative medicine available to the modern public. However, many of the herbs used in Chinese herbalism contain strong medicinal compounds that can have unwanted and even dangerous side effects if used for too long or in too strong a dose. On the whole, compared to pharmaceutical medicine, Chinese herbs have very few side effects, but recent scientific studies have found that in some cases certain Chinese herbal medicines can have toxic effects and can even contain unwanted compounds.

History

• According to the UTS college of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chinese herbal medicine developed out of shamanic roots in the late bronze age in ancient China. Early written accounts of herbal preparations on silk scrolls have been found that date to 220 BC. Later, court physicians codified and compiled texts based on traditional herbal formulas and integrated newer herbal medicines, learned from folk healers, into a complex pharmacology of substances that included not just plants but animal and mineral substances as well. Today, Chinese herbal medicine is widely employed all over the world and herbs from China are exported in bulk to many Western nations.

Toxicity

• Many herbs can have toxic effects on the liver due to high concentrations of compounds that the liver cannot process effectively. A article published in GUT; An International Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology in 1995 outlined a case in which two individuals suffered from acute hepatitis due to the ingestion of herbs in Chinese medicinal formulas. Both patients recovered, but the article suggested greater awareness is needed in the toxic potential of certain plant substances.

Effects

• Toxic amounts of plant substances found in Chinese herbal medicine can cause serious conditions in some cases. A study published in the American journal of kidney diseases in 2000 found that several patients suffering from renal failure and fibrosis and atrophy of kidney function had ingested Chinese herbal formulas prior to becoming ill. They concluded that uncontrolled herbal compounds in Chinese formulas carry a high risk for developing kidney disorders.

Dangers

• Not only can the herbs themselves be toxic but there is also a potential for adulteration and contamination from other toxic materials in Chinese herbal preparations. A study published in Trends in Pharmacological Sciences in March 2002 found that some Chinese herbal medicines can contain heavy metals or prescription drugs that could have serious side effects.

Significance

• Chinese herbs are serious medicine and have been used for millennium to treat all kinds of health conditions, but---just like all medicines---the risk for unwanted side effects and toxic reaction remains a possibility. Anyone experiencing abnormal symptoms while ingesting Chinese herbal medicines should get checked out by a qualified health care provider.