8 Tips for Herbal Medicines Consumption

Traditional medicines made ​​from herbs has long been part of the culture of Indonesian society. Alam Nusantara is very rich in herbal ingredients, even Indonesia called the third country in the world that has the highest plant diversity in the world.

To increase the consumption of herbal medicines, Deputy Health Minister Ali Ghurfron Mukti had proposed that the herbal medicine is inserted into one of the treatment which is guaranteed in the National Social Security System.

However, herbal medicine is traditionally processed or home could not be ascertained precisely the amount of the ingredient, which can cause unwanted side effects if its use is not appropriate. To prevent this, consider the issue of safe consumption of herbal medicines according to Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

1. Do not exceed the dose consumed and used according to the rules stated on the packaging.

2. In the event of unwanted effects, discontinue use immediately and consult a physician.

3. Inform the doctor who was treating you, because some of the ingredients in traditional medicines may interact with chemical drugs, which can cause unwanted effects.

4. Do not consume traditional medicines that contain ingredients that are known to cause allergies.

5. Caution in patients with hypertension, impaired heart function, kidney, and liver because there are some ingredients that can aggravate the situation.

6. Be careful if you are on a diet low in sugar, because besides containing nutritious ingredients, traditional medicine sometimes also contain ingredients such as sweeteners.

7. Be careful if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, because some ingredients may affect the fetus.

8. Be careful for breastfeeding women because some of the ingredients can be excreted through breast milk is likely to cause unwanted effects in the baby.