NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF NATURAL CHINESE HERBAL MEDICINE Patricia Gibbs Kaplan University Student March 1 st 2015

Things to know: Chinese herbal medicine offers great health benefits. However, if you’re not familiar with this type of medicine, it can have negative effects on your health if not used properly.

Negative effects One of the most common effects is Chinese herbal medicine interacting with medication, prescription and over the counter. Another side effect is toxicity. About 1/3 of herbs are laced with prescription drugs and toxic metals such as lead and arsenic, according to testing conducted by the California department of health. Another effect is allergies. If you have allergic reaction to any plant based product this makes you more vulnerable to an allergic reaction to herbs.

Where to find information ◦ A common place to fin information is the internet, here are some credible sites and a peer reviewed journal that can give you accurate information on this topic and many others as well: ◦ ◦ ◦ services/chinese-herbal-therapy services/chinese-herbal-therapy ◦ Sheng-Lou, N., Chuan-Rong, C., Yan-Ling, F., Lin, Z., & Jia, S. (2015). Chinese Herbal Medicines - Comparison of Doses Prescribed in Clinical Practice and those in China Pharmacopeia. Tropical Journal Of Pharmaceutical Research, 14(1), doi: /tjpr.v14i1.24

Other Sources: You can always go to your local library and find information there on almost anything. Your local naturalist or herbalist can be a good place to start to find more information about Chinese herbs and medicine.

Recommendations and Precautions: ◦ As always, before trying something new, consult a professional. ◦ I recommend beginning with common everyday herbs. Drink tea, such as green tea and peppermint tea and see how your body reacts to it. ◦ Think what you want to gain from using Chinese herbs. What do you want to focus on? Improving organ health or improving eczema? ◦ Ask a professional about dosage. The dosage may be for someone that is a specific weight and you might be heavier or smaller. This means your dosage needs to change based on your weight.