Herbal medicine has an extremely positive image. 80% of people turn to herbs for certain diseases, and many parents consider medicinal herbs to be harmless.
Side effects of plants
Of course, the help of many herbs is invaluable. For example, echinacea: it is designed to stimulate the immune system and protect well against colds. But for people with autoimmune diseases, it may harm and exacerbate their suffering. Echinacea preparations are also prohibited for patients with diabetes, AIDS or people with certain rheumatic ailments. Experts advise in any case to consult with a doctor or pharmacist before being treated with any plant. Chronically ill and pregnant women, as well as mothers of babies, should be especially prudent about this issue.
The effect is often not well understood
Although forest and meadow helpers have been used in part for centuries, the effects of some of them are not yet well understood. Not every plant can be confidently said that it can reliably heal. There is often a lack of rigorous scientific evidence.
The substances in some plants are not suitable for pregnant women and children. Therefore, phytopharmacology is allowed only after twelve years and is not allowed for pregnant women. Scientists do not give up their attempts to study medicinal plants. For example, it has recently been proven that the root of Pelargonium, popularly called "geranium", has shown good efficacy in the treatment of acute bronchitis in children and adolescents.
The advantage of plants over drugs is that, when used correctly, they usually have little or no side effects. It is important, however, to consult with specialists.
Do not collect medicinal plants yourself
While it sounds romantic and even pleasant to walk through meadows and forests collecting fragrant herbs, experts advise against picking medicinal plants yourself. It is easy to confuse the plants, in addition, medicinal herbs are harvested at certain months and at certain times. They may be contaminated or simply contain too little active ingredient. Finished products in pharmacies are of high quality and environmentally friendly, and therefore effective.