Toxic Medicines
The Safe use of Potent Medicines
The Safe use of Potent Medicines
Introduction
In all Traditional Medicine systems, there are toxic and potentially Fatal medicines that are used from the Plant, Mineral and Animal Kingdoms. Despite the fact that many of these medicines are prohibited from use in modern western society, they continue to be used in many traditional cultures, especially in the East and Middle East, but also in Africa, South America and elsewhere.
Paracelsus famously said "Only the Dose makes Poison". And this point is most important. Literally anything can be toxic in overdose, even water, the most common substance in our body, and our second most essential input after air.
With this in mind it stands to reason that these medicines are not "Toxic", but "Potent". Potent in that they can potentially be toxic if overdosed or misused.
In all Traditional Medicine systems, there are toxic and potentially Fatal medicines that are used from the Plant, Mineral and Animal Kingdoms. Despite the fact that many of these medicines are prohibited from use in modern western society, they continue to be used in many traditional cultures, especially in the East and Middle East, but also in Africa, South America and elsewhere.
Paracelsus famously said "Only the Dose makes Poison". And this point is most important. Literally anything can be toxic in overdose, even water, the most common substance in our body, and our second most essential input after air.
With this in mind it stands to reason that these medicines are not "Toxic", but "Potent". Potent in that they can potentially be toxic if overdosed or misused.
"Only the Dose makes Poison"
(Paracelsus)
(Paracelsus)
Safety Factor is ascertained by dividing the lethal dose by the therapeutic dose. So for example if 100mg is the therapeutic dose and 1 gram is enough to kill, it has a safety factor of 10. Many medicines and even alcohol have a safety factor as low as 5. Paracetamol; is a good example, 2 pills for a headache, but 10 pills in one sitting can kill you.
So the primary concern is how close the therapeutic dose is to the toxic dose. If an herb is used in doses of 500mg, and 2.5 grams could be fatal, this represents a safety factor equivalent to many common and over-the-counter medicines already in use.
"Even a strong poison can become an
excellent medicine if administered properly,
on the other hand even the most useful
medicine acts as a poison if not handled correctly"
(Charak)
excellent medicine if administered properly,
on the other hand even the most useful
medicine acts as a poison if not handled correctly"
(Charak)
Main Types of Poison
Toxins can be divided into the types of toxic substance. An overview of primary toxic categories of herbal medicines includes:
Main types of Poisoning
Poisoning can be divided into Acute and Chronic.
Acute Poisoning is achieved by taking an excessive dose, that is, a dose beyond therapeutic effect. In some cases symptoms develop quickly while in other cases symptoms maybe delayed for days.
Chronic poisoning occurs with repeated exposure over a period of time. Only certain poisons are prone to chronic toxicity as many poisons are broken down or expelled from the body quite rapidly. When the half life of a drug is 24 hours or longer and the patient is taking doses daily, an accumulative effect leading to chronic poisoning is a potential. Of course, this can be averted by having regular pauses in treatment. For example a pause after 2–3 weeks of using herbs that contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids can avert chronic toxicity.
Heavy metals such as Lead and Mercury are apt to cause chronic poisoning with repeated low dose exposure. There is some interesting research to show that Heavy metals processed according to Ayurvedic texts can be given in therapeutic doses without toxic effects or accumulation. The most interesting have been Mercurial medicines and Cinnabar in particular. However, far more research needs to be done before these heavy metals are accepted into modern practice in the West.
Methods of Preparing Toxic Medicines
Three principle ways are used to prepared toxic medicines:
There are various specific and unique ways of preparing the various toxic medicines, but the above three methods cover the large majority. Some toxic medicines have a number of stages that use a combination of the above methods.
Toxins can be divided into the types of toxic substance. An overview of primary toxic categories of herbal medicines includes:
- Irritant & Caustic: are usually very hot and pungent. They burn the tongue if tasted, the stronger can burn the flesh if touched
- Hemolytic: destroy the blood cells, larger doses quickly leading to cardiac failure
- Cardiotoxic: toxic to the Heart. They can also lead to cardiac failure
- Neurotoxic: toxic to the brain and nerves. They may cause paralysis leading to death from respiratory paralysis
- Narcotic: most often used to relieve pain and promote sleep can be toxic in overdose
- Heavy Metal: can have various toxic effects on the body and can be accumulative
Main types of Poisoning
Poisoning can be divided into Acute and Chronic.
Acute Poisoning is achieved by taking an excessive dose, that is, a dose beyond therapeutic effect. In some cases symptoms develop quickly while in other cases symptoms maybe delayed for days.
Chronic poisoning occurs with repeated exposure over a period of time. Only certain poisons are prone to chronic toxicity as many poisons are broken down or expelled from the body quite rapidly. When the half life of a drug is 24 hours or longer and the patient is taking doses daily, an accumulative effect leading to chronic poisoning is a potential. Of course, this can be averted by having regular pauses in treatment. For example a pause after 2–3 weeks of using herbs that contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids can avert chronic toxicity.
Heavy metals such as Lead and Mercury are apt to cause chronic poisoning with repeated low dose exposure. There is some interesting research to show that Heavy metals processed according to Ayurvedic texts can be given in therapeutic doses without toxic effects or accumulation. The most interesting have been Mercurial medicines and Cinnabar in particular. However, far more research needs to be done before these heavy metals are accepted into modern practice in the West.
Methods of Preparing Toxic Medicines
Three principle ways are used to prepared toxic medicines:
- Washing or Soaking: plant parts, typically root slices can be soaked in water to wash away some of the toxic compounds. In India, toxic medicines are often hung in a bag in a boiling liquid such as milk. This is a combination of heating and washing.
- Heat: Heat is often used to denature toxic elements such as alkaloids. Prolonged boiling in water such as is done with Aconite or scorching in hot sand as is done with Nux Vomica are examples. This process denatures or destroys toxic alkaloids.
- Acid: Acid, most typically Vinegar, is often used in the preparation of toxic medicines. Vinegar can denature certain chemicals
There are various specific and unique ways of preparing the various toxic medicines, but the above three methods cover the large majority. Some toxic medicines have a number of stages that use a combination of the above methods.
Principal Toxic Medicines in MedicineTraditions
General Toxic Medicines
Most of these medicines contain Toxic alkaloids.
Some, such as Bitter Almond contain other compounds.
Abrus precatorius, Jequirity
Aconitum carmichaeli, Fu Zi ('Daughter root')
Aconitum carmichaeli, Wu Tuo ('Mother root')
Aconitum folium, Aconite leaf
Aconitum ferox, Bong nga nag po
Aconitum fischeri, Bong nga ser po
Aconitum napellus
Aristolochia, Birthwort
Asarum, Asarabacca, Xi Xin
Brucea, Ya Dan Zi
Colchicum, Hermodactyl
Crocus, Saffron, Xi Hong Hua
Croton, Ba Dou
Cyclamen, Sowbread
Daphne Gnidium
Digitalis, Foxglove
Gelsemium sempervirens, Yellow Jasmine
Gelsemium elegans, Gou Wen
Gloriosa, Glory Lily
Hellebori nigri, Black Hellebore
Periploca, Xiang Jia Pi
Prunus armeniaca amara, Bitter Almond
Ricinus Semen, Castor Seed
Scilla, Squill
Staphysacre, Stavesacre
Taxus, Yew tree
Tripterygium, Lei Gong Teng
Tylophora, Anthrapachaka
Vervatrum, White Hellebore, Li Lu
Wikstroemia, Le Ge Wang
Irritants – Hydragogue
These medicines are all Hydragogue Cathartics.
They all contain irritant gum-resins
Esula, Spurge
Euphorbia dracunculoides, Saptala
Euphorbia helioscopiae, Ze Qi,
Euphorbia kansui, Gan Sui
Euphorbia lathyris, Caper Spurge, Qian Jin Zi
Euphorbia neriifolia, Snuhi
Euphorbia pekinensis, Jing Da Ji
Euphorbia stracheyi, Khron bu
Euphorbia thymifolia, Dudhi
Euphorbium, Official Spurge
Mezereon, Spurge Olive; Laureola, Spurge Laurel
Narcotics
These contain Alkaloids that have a
potent effect on the Nervous system.
Anisodus, Thang phrom nag po
Belladonna, Deadly Nightshade
Conium, Hemlock
Datura, Stramonium
Hyoscyamus, Henbane
Mandragora, Mandrake
Nux Vomica, Ma Qian Zi
Opium
Przewalskia, Thang phrom dkar po
Minerals
Primary Mineral Toxins are those based on Lead,
Mercury and Arsenic. Other heavy metals can also be Toxic.
Mercury
Litharge
Minium
Arsenolite
Orpiment
Realgar
Animals
Cantharides
Toad