Side effects of Ayurevdic drugs – Facts you must know - Prof. Dr. Shriram Savrikar, M.D. (Ayu), Ph.D.
Side effects of Ayurevdic drugs
– Facts you must know
Prof. Dr. Shriram Savrikar, M.D. (Ayu), Ph.D.
Ayurevdic drugs and side effects: It is a very popular
belief that Ayurevdic drugs do not
have any side effects. Rather people think that all natural products like Ayurevdic herbal drugs are free from
side effects. This is a widely spread misbelief or myth. The reason behind this
myth is very simple. Ayurvedic drugs
or natural products are chemically complex compounds. Concentration of pharmacologically
active ingredients in these products, is too small to show any instant good or
bad effect. Moreover, due to ignorance, the Ayurvedic
herbal drugs are rarely consumed in therapeutically effective dose. This is
particularly true when they are consumed by people on their own without any
appropriate medical advice or supervision. Even some Ayurvedic doctors, surrendering the efficacy of the drug to their
fear about the safety of the patient; are found using Ayurvedic drugs in much lower than the required prescribed therapeutic
dose. Thus consumption of Ayurvedic
herbal drugs rarely shows any harmful effects, at the same time, fails to
produce the expected therapeutic results as well. It is also necessary to
understand that absence of side effect implicates absence of therapeutic effect
as well.
Ayurevdic drugs not drugs? : Another important fact is that Ayurvedic drugs are never considered as
drugs outside the Ayurveda fraternity.
They are fancily named as food supplements, health supplements or
neutraceuticals. To complicate the issue, some people are coining a new term Ayurceuticals ! for Ayurvedic drugs. When a substance nowhere remains a drug, no
question of side effect will arise. There is no known food article which has
any side effects.
What is side effect?: To address the issue
appropriately, it is necessary to understand the meaning of the words ‘side
effect’. Literally speaking, when administered in therapeutic dose, any effect,
good or bad, shown by the drug, apart from its intended effect; is a ‘side
effect’. However, a common man refers only harmful effects of the drug as side
effect. In this context the more suitable words are ‘untoward or adverse
effects’.
Adverse effects: Speaking in terms of pharmacology,
adverse effect is an integral part of drug pharmacology. Ayurvedic drugs are no exception to it. Drug may it be an
allopathic, Ayurvedic or else; is
bound to have a side effect i.e. adverse effect. There is no such drug as safe
drug on the earth. Not only drug but every intrusion in the human body is
associated with a risk. Nothing is predictable, except science and the human
body has a risk, which may produce surprises. A doctor has to weigh the risk benefit ratio,
while administering a drug. The drug is administered if its benefit weighs much
more than the risk. It is also to be ensured that the adverse effects are
temporary in nature and will disappear with the withdrawal of the drug. Drugs
producing permanent damage to the body should never be used. This is the
principle of drug administration.
Adverse effects of
Ayurvedic drugs: Speaking about
adverse effects of Ayurvedic drugs,
no Ayurveda classic text says that Ayurvedic drugs do not have side
effects. On the contrary, the harmful effects produced by a drug administered
in an appropriate dose, are described in clear terms in Ayurvedic texts. While mitigating the disease, harmful effects like
yawning, irritability, dryness of mouth, restlessness, fatigue, drowsiness and
cramps in legs; are found produced during the course of digestion and metabolism
of the drug in the body. A drug administered in an appropriate dose, however
good it may be, is also likely to produce little temporary harm to the body.
The terms like ‘Alpavyaapata’, ‘Alpadosha’, ‘Mandaglapana’; meaning little harmful, are used to describe the side
effects of drugs administered in appropriate dose.
It is also necessary
to understand that failure of a drug to produce the expected effect, following its
administration in appropriate dose also amounts to its adverse effect.
Flip side: Flip side of misbelief of considering Ayurvedic drugs as free of side effect
is that it has engrossed the Ayurvedic drug industry, drug regulatory
authorities and many more responsible authorities. It has resulted in
generation of air of carelessness, blowing everywhere while manufacturing,
distributing, selling, prescribing and consuming Ayurvedic drugs. The carelessness is based on a thought that may be
therapeutically effective or not, Ayurvedic
drugs are not going to produce any harm. Hence there is nothing to worry
about how they are manufactured, sold, prescribed or consumed.
Duration of consumption: Another issue
regarding Ayurvedic drugs is duration
of their consumption. Ayurvedic drugs
are found consumed for very long duration, in some instances for months or
years together without any medical supervision. This is also happening with the
same thought described above. Usually the trend of effectiveness of a drug is
visible within maximum one week. In acute illnesses, rarely the drugs need to
be continued over a long period. If
needed, they need a close monitoring by a qualified doctor. In chronic
illnesses drugs do need to be consumed for prolonged periods, in some cases
lifelong as well. But such consumptions also require monitoring and
intermittent assessment by the prescribing doctor. Ayurvedic drugs are no exception to it. Many popular Ayurvedic drugs such as metal and
mineral drugs, Guggulu preparations are
noted to produce many harmful effects, when consumed for long durations. In
most of the reported cases of toxicity deemed to be caused due to Ayurvedic drugs, the basic cause was
their consumption for prolonged periods without any medical supervision.
To conclude, it can
be definitely said that it is not wise to manufacture, sale, prescribe and consume
Ayurvedic drugs carelessly, thinking
that they do not have any side effects.
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