For a summer resident, plants are one of their favorite topics of conversation. Planted and grown with love, they delight the eye with their appearance and aroma. An experienced gardener can talk about them for hours, without forgetting to give generous tips: how a particular plant is collected and brewed, in what proportions to use… What recipes are not ready to share gardeners-lovers! But unfortunately, this Amateur knowledge sometimes causes errors in the treatment of diseases. Let’s look at this issue in more detail.
I’m my own specialist
Armed with knowledge of the beneficial properties of medicinal plants, a person thinks that they can choose a treatment for themselves. Nothing difficult, as it seems, there is no, you just need to find a tool that includes herbs with the desired effects. But not everything is as simple as it seems. Here are a few facts about herbal preparations that many do not know.
Fact one: not all herbs are compatible with each other
The composition of herbal preparations usually includes several components, and the combination is selected in such a way that the plants complement each other. For example, a drug used to treat inflammatory diseases of the urinary tract contains three plant components-Levisticum officinale, Salvia rosmarinus and Centaurium. In the composition of the drug, these plants are included in verified proportions, so it has a complex effect:
- spasmolytic, antimicrobial and diuretic effects are provided by all three plants;
- anti-inflammatory action is carried out by Centaurium and Salvia rosmarinus.
Such a rich set of therapeutic effects contributes to the successful use of the drug in inflammatory diseases of the kidneys, bladder and urolithiasis.
It is impossible to independently understand how certain herbs will behave in combination. This requires serious laboratory research. Just knowing about the plants themselves is not enough.
Fact two: dietary Supplements are not full-fledged medicines
The therapeutic effect of the drug depends not only on the combination of components, but also on their quantity. Among the herbal remedies presented in the pharmacy, there are quite a lot of biologically active additives. Dietary supplements always contain a smaller amount of active components than in medicines, so they can not be used for treatment. In order not to waste money, it is important to make sure that the drug has a medicinal status. Only in this case, you can expect a therapeutic effect.
Fact three: a similar composition does not guarantee the same quality
In pharmacies, you can find several drugs with a similar composition, at different prices. Often people prefer to save money and choose the one that is cheaper. But with herbal preparations, this can be the deciding factor determining the result. In the production of herbal preparations, every stage is important, starting with planting and growing plants. Modern equipment and technologies allow us to provide the necessary content of active substances in the finished medicine. For example, a drug can be produced using a unique technology. Another preparation containing the same plants, but produced from other raw materials and using other technologies, may differ significantly in the content of active substances.
This is not all you need to know to choose the optimal herbal preparation. The characteristics of the disease and the patient are also important. Therefore, the best solution is to give the choice to the doctor.