Heart

Herbal medicinal ingredients formulated from plant leaves, bark, fruit, flowers, and fragrant roots have been used since ancient times to cure various diseases. However, the distribution of herbal supplements is not as strictly regulated as medical drugs by the BPOM.

So, are herbal medicines safe for consumption?

According to Prof. Maksum Radji, Permanent Professor of Pharmacy at the University of Indonesia, in order for an herbal medicine to be declared safe, the product must first be scientifically proven for its safety through a series of clinical trials, including acute toxicity tests, sub-acute toxicity tests, chronic toxicity tests, and teratogenic test, reported by Kompas. Herbal medicine must also be tested for dosage, method of use, effectiveness, monitoring of side effects, and their interactions with other medicinal compounds.

Unfortunately, most of the herbal medicines circulating in Indonesia fall into the category of jamu and OHT (Standardized Herbal Medicines). Both are types of traditional medicines whose safety has not been proven based on clinical trials. The efficacy of OHT has only been demonstrated so far as experimentation in laboratory animals. The results of preclinical trials are often used as the basis for herbal medicine to cure various diseases. Meanwhile, herbal medicine which usually uses a combination of herbs and a variety of hereditary recipes does not have a definite dosage and indication.

Dr. Peter Canter and Prof. Edzard Ernst from Peninsula Medical, quoted from The Telegraph, revealed that so far the strong clinical evidence that can prove the effectiveness of herbs and herbal medicines to cure diseases is still very limited. And because the potential for side effects is suspected to outweigh the benefits, this lack of medical evidence means that the use of herbal remedies is not recommended.

Not everyone is allowed to drink herbs and herbal medicine

Even though they are made from natural ingredients, all spices also contain chemical compounds that have the potential to pose a risk of adverse side effects. For example, herbal medicine ginger. Temulawak is claimed to be effective as an appetite-enhancing drug and overcoming constipation, but not many know that ginger has blood-thinning properties that can cause acute kidney bleeding in people with liver disease.

The risk of side effects may also include imported products contaminated with agricultural chemicals or other foreign organisms during the manufacturing process in their home country. For example, herbal medicines whose freshness and quality are of doubtful have the potential to contain the fungus Amanita phaloides which produces aflatoxins which can damage the liver.

In addition, a number of imported Chinese herbal Viagra supplements have been shown to contain up to four times the dosage of a chemical compound mixture of prescription medical drugs commonly used to treat obesity and anti-impotence, which can cause serious side effects such as heart problems and blood pressure. In fact, herbal supplement products cannot contain synthetic drugs at all.

Taking herbal medicine is fine, as long as…

Consuming herbal and herbal medicines as a complementary alternative to synthetic drugs (both prescription and non-prescription) is actually acceptable. The concocted herbal medicine in the form of a decoction is relatively safe because the toxic substances that may be contained (for example, cassava leaves containing cyanide) have undergone a chemical structure change so that it is safe for consumption. The safety of herbal medicines prepared by other methods should always be questioned.

But herbal supplements usually only show their benefits if consumed regularly in the long term. Because of that herbal medicine should only be consumed to maintain health, recovery of disease, or reduce the risk of disease - not to cure it. To cure the disease, a doctor's prescription is needed.

It's just that, pay attention to the dosage and timing of using herbal jamu if you are using other drugs. Herbal medicines should not be taken before medical drugs to avoid the risk of chemical compound interactions, and should be taken 1-2 hours after medical drugs.

Herbal supplements also cannot be taken carelessly because each person's reaction to medicines can be different from one another. Even though you have the same complaints, it is not certain that herbal remedies that turn out to be suitable for you will provide the same properties to your child or neighbor.