Synthetic Drugs vs Botanical and Herbal Medicines. Which is Better?

 

My brother-in-law, Ong Geok Soo, a senior structural engineer, WhatsApp me asking if western pharmaceutical drugs can be taken together with herbal medicines such as used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM).

Here’s what I half-jokingly told him.

There is no problem except the western drugs are made from petroleum chemicals introduced by that whacky, rocky fellow called Rockefeller to the Big Pharm to call them as “medicines” These strong chemical medicines may neutralise the weaker TCM herbal medicines unless TCM doctors only gave acupuncture or other non-herbal treatment. These western chemical medicines are like petrol that suddenly burst into fierce flames when ignited.

Read here how this rocky fellow waged a war against natural cure using his petroleum chemicals as drugs:

 

https://dta0yqvfnusiq.cloudfront.net/allnaturalhealingsrq/2019/04/How-Rockefeller-Founded-Big-Pharma-and-Waged-War-on-Natural-Cures-5cb3d7374f337.pdf

 

Once the drug or petrol is prescribed or ignited, the fire will burn fiercely for a short while, and when the flames die off, they must be taken again by the patients two or three times a day to keep the fire burning fiercely, else the disease will sprout out again the next day 

 This is unlike TCM that uses a mixture of botanical natural medicines that work like coal or charcoal that is very hard to ignite initially, but once they burn, they will burn very slowly and steadily for a very long time. 

Since coal and charcoal are very difficult to ignite, we would first need to place some paper underneath, then on the top it the paper some wooden chips, and finally the coal or charcoal on the very top. We would need to burn the paper beneath first. The paper will burn the wood chips on the top, then only the charcoal or coal on the top of the paper and wooden chips would start burning. Once the coal or charcoal started burning it will burn for a very long time without the need to keep on adding the coal or charcoal.

 That was why TCM doctors give their patients a mixture of various herbs to be taken together like paper, wooden chips and coal to slowly take effect synergistically. Using medicines from the plants the patient seldom needs to take them 2 or 3 times a day continuously for life unlike pharmaceuticals that need to be taken for life for chronic cases but do not cure any disease.  

 This is so unlike drugs made by Big Pharma from petroleum that suddenly burst into flames when ignited and die very quickly. They were purposely designed that way to make money by asking the patients to take them 3 times a day for life, but this does not cure their chronic disease. This is the reason why most patients go away after taking western chemical medicines for many years to seek a permanent cure from other systems of medicine.  

 How else or what other medicines can doctors use these days except using 100 % Rockefeller's and Big Pharma chemical products to treat all those chronic diseases from diabetes, high blood pressure, cancers to gout all the way down to all those animal diseases using animal medicines such as Ivermectin to treat Covid and cancers.

However, western chemical medicines works very fast like a burning  petrol fire and hence they are very good for emergency cases where we need to stabilize a patient quickly, but they  fair extremely badly for chronic cases like diabetes, high blood pressure and cancers, compared to TCM that works very slowly  but burns very steadily for a very long time and even if the patient does not take them anymore. What can doctors do when we need to depend on Big Pharma chemicals made from petrol?

In contrast, jungle animals search for plants inside their jungles to treat themselves very successfully without needing an animal doctor. They don’t even need a TCM doctor as the tens of thousands of medicines available for them from the jungles are more than enough. They don’t need petrol to "cure" themselves.

The entire jungle is their natural pharmacy God gave to them from the Garden of Eden. God gave them a herb for every illness on earth. That was what I explained to my brother-in-law, half-jokingly, half truthfully. In fact, I have already written a few articles on drugs and disease. Below are just three examples:

 

1.      Chemical Toxins in Foods from Food Producers Plus Toxic Drugs Prescribed by Doctors

 

https://scientificlogic.blogspot.com/2024/04/chemical-toxins-in-foods-from-food.html

 

2.      The Dilemma Between the Doctor, the Patient and the Drugs They Take

 

https://scientificlogic.blogspot.com/search?q=pharmacology

 

3.      The Body is Just a Biochemical Factory, or Is It?

 

https://scientificlogic.blogspot.com/2024/05/the-body-is-just-biochemical-factory-or.html

 

Allow me now in a more serious mood to very briefly explain further how western drugs work (pharmacology), compared to natural botanical medicines from the plants (pharmacognosy).  

We shall take a brief look at their actions, applications, advantages, and their disadvantages.  Let’s go.

A brief introduction to Pharmacology:

Pharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. It involves understanding how drugs interact with biological systems, their effects, mechanisms of action, therapeutic uses, and potential side effects.

Major Classes of Drugs

1. Analgesics
• Opioids: E.g., morphine, oxycodone. These act on the central nervous system (CNS) to relieve pain by binding to opioid receptors.
• Non-Opioids: E.g., acetaminophen, NSAIDs like ibuprofen. They reduce pain and inflammation by inhibiting the cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes.
2. Antibiotics
• Penicillins:  E.g., amoxicillin. They kill bacteria by interfering with cell wall synthesis.
• Macrolides: E.g., erythromycin. They inhibit bacterial protein synthesis by binding to the 50S ribosomal subunit.
• Fluoroquinolones: E.g., ciprofloxacin. They inhibit DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV, enzymes critical for bacterial DNA replication.
3. Antivirals
• Nucleoside Analogues: E.g., acyclovir. They inhibit viral DNA synthesis.
• Protease Inhibitors: E.g., ritonavir. They inhibit the protease enzyme, preventing viral replication.
4. Antifungals
• Azoles: E.g., fluconazole. They inhibit ergosterol synthesis, disrupting fungal cell membrane integrity.
• Echinocandins: E.g., caspofungin. They inhibit β-glucan synthesis, a critical component of the fungal cell wall.
5. Antihypertensives
• ACE Inhibitors: E.g., lisinopril. They inhibit the angiotensin-converting enzyme, reducing blood pressure.
• Beta-Blockers: E.g., metoprolol. They block β-adrenergic receptors, decreasing heart rate and cardiac output.
• Calcium Channel Blockers: E.g., amlodipine. They inhibit calcium ion entry into cells, relaxing blood vessels.
6. Antidiabetics
• Insulins: E.g., insulin glargine. They regulate blood glucose levels by promoting cellular glucose uptake.
• Metformin: It decreases hepatic glucose production and increases insulin sensitivity.
7. Antidepressants
• SSRIs: E.g., fluoxetine. They increase serotonin levels by inhibiting its reuptake into the presynaptic cell.
• Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs): E.g., amitriptyline. They block the reuptake of norepinephrine and serotonin.
8. Antipsychotics
• Typical Antipsychotics: E.g., haloperidol. They block dopamine receptors in the brain.
• Atypical Antipsychotics: E.g., risperidone. They act on both dopamine and serotonin receptors.
9. Anticancer Drugs
• Alkylating Agents: E.g., cyclophosphamide. They interfere with DNA replication.
• Antimetabolites: E.g., methotrexate. They mimic or inhibit metabolites needed for DNA and RNA synthesis.
10. Anti-inflammatory Drugs
• Corticosteroids: E.g., prednisone. They inhibit multiple inflammatory pathways.
• Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): E.g., aspirin. They inhibit COX enzymes, reducing inflammation.

Mechanisms of Action

1. Receptor Binding: Many drugs exert their effects by binding to receptors on cell surfaces or within cells, leading to a biological response. Examples include neurotransmitters, hormones, and growth factors.
2. Enzyme Inhibition: Drugs can inhibit enzyme activity, blocking biochemical pathways. For instance, ACE inhibitors prevent the formation of angiotensin II, a potent vasoconstrictor.
3. Ion Channel Modulation: Some drugs affect ion channels, altering cell membrane potentials and cellular excitability. Calcium channel blockers reduce calcium influx in heart and smooth muscle cells.
4. Transporter Inhibition: Drugs like SSRIs inhibit neurotransmitter transporters, increasing the availability of neurotransmitters like serotonin in the synaptic cleft.
5. DNA/RNA Synthesis Inhibition: Anticancer and antiviral drugs often target nucleic acid synthesis to prevent cell proliferation or viral replication.

 

Pharmacology is a vast field that encompasses various drug classes, each with unique mechanisms of action. Understanding these basics can help in comprehending how different medications work to treat various conditions.

 

We shall now compare drugs with botanical medicine in action, their clinical efficacies, therapeutic actions, safety, and which would be better, pharmaceuticals or herbal and botanical medicines.

 

Comparison of Drugs with Botanical Medicine:

 

1. Mechanisms of Action

• Pharmaceutical Drugs:
• These are typically designed to target specific pathways or receptors in the body with high precision.
• They often consist of single active ingredients that are well-defined chemically.
• The mechanisms of action are usually well-studied and understood.
• Botanical Medicines:
• These contain complex mixtures of multiple active compounds, which may act synergistically.
• The mechanisms of action can be less specific and harder to pinpoint due to the complexity of plant constituents.
• Some active ingredients in plants can interact with multiple pathways and receptors.

2. Clinical Efficacies

• Pharmaceutical Drugs:
• Often have robust clinical evidence supporting their efficacy, obtained through rigorous randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
• They are approved by regulatory bodies (e.g., FDA) after thorough evaluation of their safety and effectiveness.
• Botanical Medicines:
• Clinical evidence can vary; some have strong supporting data, while others rely more on traditional or anecdotal evidence.
• The variability in plant extracts and preparations can lead to inconsistent results in clinical studies.

3. Therapeutic Actions

• Pharmaceutical Drugs:
• Typically designed for specific therapeutic actions, such as reducing blood pressure, killing bacteria, or alleviating pain.
• They tend to have well-characterized pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.
• Botanical Medicines:
• Often used for broader therapeutic purposes, such as enhancing overall wellness, boosting the immune system, or reducing inflammation.
• They can have multiple therapeutic actions due to the variety of compounds they contain.

4. Safety

• Pharmaceutical Drugs:
• Safety profiles are well-documented, including potential side effects and interactions with other medications.
• They undergo extensive testing for toxicity and side effects before approval.
• Botanical Medicines:
• Generally considered safe when used appropriately, but can pose risks such as allergic reactions, toxic components, or interactions with pharmaceutical drugs.
• Lack of standardization and regulation can lead to variability in safety.

Which is Better: Pharmaceuticals or Herbal and Botanical Medicines?

Pharmaceuticals:

• Pros: High precision, well-regulated, strong evidence base, known safety profiles.
• Cons: Can be expensive, may have significant side effects, potential for over-reliance on synthetic solutions.

Botanical Medicines:

• Pros: Often perceived as more natural, potential for fewer side effects, can be used for overall wellness, cultural and traditional value. 
• Cons: Variability in potency and composition, less rigorous regulation, potential interactions with pharmaceuticals, sometimes lack strong clinical evidence.

 

• The choice between pharmaceuticals and botanical medicines often depends on the condition being treated, patient preference, and the available evidence for efficacy and safety.
• For acute and life-threatening conditions, pharmaceuticals are typically preferred due to their precision and robust clinical backing.
• For chronic conditions and general wellness, botanical medicines may be a viable option, especially when used under the guidance of a healthcare professional.

In TCM other therapeutic modalities may also integrated in the treatment plan such as using qigong, moxibustion (acupuncture using burning dried mug wort), cupping therapy, dietary therapy, gua sha, tai chi, and herbal medicines.

The advantage with herbal medicine is that they are far less toxic as the active ingredients are presented at very low concentrations unlike pharmaceutical drugs which are isolated pure compounds given at higher concentrations. 

The other advantage with herbal medicines is that several of them can be given together in combination, and with their lower concentrations of therapeutically active principles, they act collectively in synergism with each other, thus greatly enhanced their combined effects at low dosages. This is so much better than a stand-alone purified compound such as a manufactured drug acting singly.  

 

Pharmacology: The study of drugs and their effects on biological systems, traditionally focusing on synthetic drugs, but also encompassing naturally derived compounds.

Pharmacognosy: The study of medicines derived from natural sources, particularly plants. It involves the identification, extraction, and characterization of bioactive compounds from natural sources.

 

Conclusion and Summary:

 

While pharmacology encompasses both synthetic and natural compounds, pharmacognosy specifically focuses on the study of natural products, particularly from plants. Both fields are essential for developing a comprehensive understanding of therapeutic agents, whether derived from nature or synthesized in the lab.