Caution When Buying Medicine Online
The Ministry of Health General Directorate of Pharmaceuticals and Pharmacy warned citizens about herbal medicines purchased via the internet and television.
Experts stated, "The aim of those selling here is only to make money. They have no intention of protecting the health of our people."
Emphasizing that extreme caution must be taken when using herbal medicines, the Ministry warned that while using herbal medicines, the treatment applied by the physician could be endangered. In the statement, experts stressed that herbal medicines should not be considered separately from synthetic drugs, saying that when using such products, one must be extremely cautious, just as with synthetic drugs:
"Because it is not possible to speak of the presence of a single compound in a herbal medicine. Even a single plant contains many compounds. These compounds can interact with each other and show a stronger effect than the effect each shows alone. They can even sometimes reach a toxic dose. In some cases, herbal medicines can also hinder the treatment applied by the physician. We encounter this picture more often in patients receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy."
The Aim is to Make Money
Noting that it is extremely wrong for consumers to purchase herbal medicines online, experts pointed out that herbal medicines should only be sold in pharmacies. Ministry of Health officials, stating that products purchased online aim to make money rather than public health, said: "It is also extremely wrong for consumers to buy products sold online. The aim of those selling here is only to make money. They have no intention of protecting the health of our people. They do not have a sense of responsibility for the problems their work may create. If the efficacy, reliability, and quality of herbal medicines are not proven and such products are not licensed by the Ministry of Health, they are always very dangerous for our citizens. Moreover, even if licensed, the place of sale is only the pharmacy."
Experts, upon being reminded of complaints from consumers who want to quit smoking and tobacco and were not satisfied with the product purchased via a television channel and did not see any effect, warned that herbal products could endanger another illness and said the following about the content of the product advertised on television:
"When we look at the content of the product advertised on television channels and complained about for quitting tobacco, we see that each of these plants needs to be evaluated with different mechanisms of action. For example, Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort) found in this mixture has been scientifically studied for many years and is an antidepressant due to the hypericin it contains; sedative, anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, and analgesic due to its biflavonoids; diuretic and astringent due to flavonoids and tannins; and anti-phlogistic due to its essential oil. It also has wound-healing effects externally. The differences arising from just the chemical content of a single plant require its use in many different areas. Also, as with all plants, those using this plant must pay attention to drug-plant interaction. You cannot use this plant for a person receiving anticoagulant, theophylline, digoxin treatment. Another plant in this product marketed for quitting tobacco, licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra) root (Radix Liquiritiae), is very dangerous for patients with high blood pressure. Melissa officinalis (lemon balm) has sedative effects. Eugenol, one of the compounds found in the composition of the high proportion of essential oil in clove, is antiseptic and a strong analgesic. Again, cinnamon and lavender (karabaş otu) are plants that need to be evaluated separately in terms of the chemical components in the essential oil content they carry."
