Herbal Medicines and Prescription Drugs

Oliver lived the simple uncomplicated life of a house-wife till she reached the age of 45. Two weeks after her 45th birthday, she started experiencing slight pain in her left shoulder. She had long suffered from heartburn since childhood as she had been a plump child and she constantly over-ate. She disliked doctors and had never actually stayed in hospital as a patient, except when she was pregnant and in labour. Two weeks later, she suffered severe pain on her left side and could barely dial the number of the family doctor. He had known her, all her life and was appalled that she had not consulted him on experiencing pain. An electrocardiogram (ECG) showed a mild heart attack. A quick Blood Pressure reading showed an abnormally high BP of 180/100. The real problem was revealed only when she stepped on the weighing machine. Her weight was an uncomfortable 110 kg for a 5 feet 4 inch frame. She had a huge obesity problem. For all her dislike of doctors and hospitals, she was immediately admitted and spent a week in hospital. She was put on cardiac drugs and underwent a few diagnostic tests. As she recovered, she insisted on a quick discharge at the earliest. The day finally came, but so also did the hospital dietician, who told Mrs Olive that she was grossly overweight. And there was an urgent need for weight loss. As a first line treatment for obesity she was given strict diet plans. These would ensure adequate nutrition. She had never dieted in her life and simply could not cope. 2 months down the line, she actually put on 2 kg. There was an increasing danger to her health and life. She had to go for weight loss drug therapy. Here she was given two options - Herbal Weight Loss Treatment like Herbalife or Diet Pills like Phentermine Diet Pills or Adipex Diet Pills or Didrex Diet Pills. She had to decide between going in for herbal treatment or prescription drugs. Diet Pills are essentially diet drugs. These pills are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration agency (FDA), their side effects are monitored and they may be advertised and prescribed for weight loss under certain condition and in certain dosages. The dangers of prescription diet pills are consistent with other similar drugs. Accidental overdose is a common problem when taking these diet pills. This is because many diet pills contain similar ingredients to non-prescription medications like nasal decongestants. Various Diet Pill reviews have documented their side-effects. Diet pill side effects of drugs that operate on the brain to reduce appetite include raised blood pressure, chest pain, fever, hair loss, depression, impotence, heart damage, to name a few. Do Diet Pills(like Phentermine, adipex) really work? When used under medical supervision in conjunction with a proper diet and exercise program, diet pills can be effective - at least in the short term. That said, the body adjusts remarkably quickly too many diet pills, so the benefits may quickly wear off. If diet pills are not used in conjunction with a proper weight loss program incorporating proper diet and exercise, they are not likely to be effective. Indeed some pills may even disrupt our body causing weight gain. Herbal weight loss treatment is on the other hand considered to have lesser side-effects, but is associated with an increased risk of certain Gastrointestinal Cancers. However, Mrs Olive finally decide to go in first for herbal treatment. She is not alone. Increasingly a large number of people are shifting to herbal treatment not only for obesity but also for other major diseases like jaundice, arthritis and diabetes. In the West, ancient treatments using herbs are gradually being revived, but in India or China herbal treatment has always been a way of life. The Indian System of Medicine - Ayurveda - is based on herbs and certain inorganic metals like gold, silver, etc called bhasmas. In China, traditional healing focuses on the power of herbs, animal products and others to give the healing balance of ying and yang. However herbal treatment takes time and may not always be effective. There is no clear cut scientific basis for many preparations and very often they have been dismissed as supreme examples of Quackery. Very often these preparations contain dangerous levels of heavy metals like lead, cadmium, etc an have in banned in countries like Canada and Singapore. There is a need for objective, double blind, randomized ,clinical trials to establish a clear-cut medical basis for usage. Very often these preparations contain more than 10 different herbs. There is also a need for studies to check how these herbs interact with each other and documentaton of their therapeutic effects and their side-effects.. Prescription drugs on the hand have strong scientific basis. There is at least one good double blind randomized clinical trial in human in the indication or disease to be treated before the drug can even apply for final approval. Here the therapy involves a single drug that has been documented in all aspects for it's therapeutic effect, side-effects, drug-drug interactions and this has been studied for 5 to 10 years before the drug can be promoted commercially. There is also information on how the drug travels through the body and into what components it breaks down into. What more treatment schedules are well-defined with a clear knowledge of the side-effects, which are plentiful. With qualified certified medical practitioners and ultra modern facilities, it is not difficult to see why prescription drugs are the most preferred form of treatment. Most people start shifting to herbal medicine only when allopathy does not offer any benefits like in Psoriasis or if the side-effects become unbearable as in arthritis, where acidity due to pain reducing drugs can be difficult to stomach, or where the duration of therapy is shorter than in allopathy, like in Jaundice. Or due to the side-effects of certain cardiac drugs like anti-hypertensives. But herein lies the danger of embracing a therapy which we do not know everything about. In medical terms, ignorance is not bliss, it is an invitation to disaster.