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Medicinal herbs increase the toxicity of chemotherapy
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
Nontraditional methods of treatment are used by some people so far, and the belief in the effectiveness of medicinal herbs is much higher than in traditional drugs. It is worth noting that in traditional medicine there are prescriptions for the treatment of even cancerous tumors, and many people are willing to use them in addition to basic treatment. The scientists decided to find out how the traditional treatment is combined with medicinal herbs and came to the conclusion that this could pose a danger to the life of cancer patients. Most often in "grandmother's" recipes are found milk thistle, ginger, fish oil, licorice, astragalus, etc., but as it became known all these herbs and products affect the course of treatment and can change the effect of medications.
The study was conducted in the oncology center of Peter McCallum (Australia). In total, experts studied the interaction of 10 plants and products with traditional treatment for cancer patients. For work, the most popular remedies were selected: Reishi mushroom, coenzyme Q10, turmeric, astragalus, fish oil, ginger, green tea, milk thistle, lactobacilli, licorice. As a result, it was found that the small concentrations of substances contained in these plants and products are safe for health, but in a variety of dietary supplements the concentration is quite high and this can be dangerous to health.
In the course of the work, the scientists found that all the products studied can either enhance or reduce the effect of chemotherapy, and they are also able to influence the treatment process during radiation therapy. Scientists noted that simultaneous intake of dietary supplements with the above plants or products can make the treatment process more toxic to the body or reduce the effectiveness of injected drugs. Also, according to experts, each type of cancer has its own characteristics and a universal drug in nature, most likely does not exist. Also, scientists stressed that herbal remedies are not always safe and before starting treatment with non-traditional drugs, it is necessary to consult with the attending physician.
Another interesting discovery was the study of Canadian scientists who argue that antipyretic drugs help spread the infection throughout the body and this fact affects the number of deaths. As explained by scientists, antipyretic drugs violate the natural mechanism of suppressing the infection in the body.
To such a conclusion, scientists came after a careful study of several scientific papers, and they also constructed a mathematical model that depicts the effect of antipyretic agents on the human body during ARI or influenza. As the results of calculations have shown, a decrease in the temperature of various drugs during influenza increases the likelihood of repeated development of the disease (especially during seasonal diseases), and also increases the number of deaths.
Experts explained that the temperature is a protective reaction of the body to viruses and infections, so our immune system suppresses the multiplication of viruses, and reducing the temperature to 37 0 C dramatically reduces the body's ability to resist.
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