Medical expert warns against abuse of herbal drugs

The Medical Director, General Hospital Minna, Niger, Dr Isah Jibril, has warned the public on the danger inherent in the abuse of herbal medicine.

Jibril, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Saturday, said that some people were in the habit of indiscriminately gulping herbal medicines, saying this portends grave danger for their health.

“The major complication in the consumption of herbal medication is that some of the herbal medicines do not have dosage like the orthodox medicine.”

“Taking overdose medicine is harmful and some people go ahead doing it. This is dangerous and suicidal because vital organs like the liver and kidney are harmfully affected,” Jibril said.‎

He explained that many had caused injuries on their livers and kidneys due to exposure to herbal medicine, saying this should be avoided.

“If herbal medicine must be taken, let it have a label and be certified by appropriate regulating body to ensure the dosage one is supposed to take at a given time.”

“Otherwise it can harm the vital organs of the body,” Jibril warned.

He explained that the liver and the kidney were the two target organs and were responsible for metabolic waste in the body.

“The active ingredients are likely to be toxic to either the liver or the kidney because they want to eliminate the metabolic waste associated with the injection of the herbal medication,” Jibril said.

He said that was why medical practitioners were reluctant to prescribe herbal medication given that if not certified, they could cause more harm.

Jibril then called on patients and the general public to seek medical attention in the hospitals rather than gambling with their health by patronising herbalists.

 

Source: NAN