Chemicals in Medicine and Health
10.1 Traditional Medicine, Modern Medicine and Complementary Medicine
Criteria of Traditional, Modern and Complementary Medicine
Traditional medicine
- Uses plants, animals and natural substances, specifically or in combination, to diagnose and treat diseases.
- Treatment uses natural substances from plants and animals; its effectiveness is proven through experience.
- Has low treatment costs, is inherited and practised from generation to generation, and works more slowly.
Modern medicine
- Combines the art of medicine with sciences directly related to health science and biomedicine, including clinical medicine, medical research and surgery.
- Uses synthetic medicines; effectiveness is proven clinically.
- Has high treatment costs; uses surgery, laser treatment and radiotherapy; treatment is more effective and faster.
Complementary medicine
- Consists of healthcare methods originating from many cultural backgrounds through the ages.
- Covers natural products, and mind and body practices; may be used with modern treatment, such as cancer treatment.
- Does not involve surgery or stitches, or use therapeutic medicine, drugs or synthetic chemical substances.
- Considers the views of modern and traditional medical practitioners.
Medicines Used in Traditional, Modern and Complementary Medicine
Medicine is a drug or substance taken to control health, treat or prevent disease. Medicine and treatment must be obtained from qualified parties.
Traditional medicine
Traditional medicine is obtained from natural sources such as plants and animals without chemical processing and has been practised since ancient times.
- Aloe vera: Gel from the leaves is applied to the skin to reduce pain caused by sunburn or hot objects.
- Ginseng: Maintains body health in traditional Chinese medicine.
- Ginger: Relieves swelling and body aches and eliminates wind from the body.
- Hibiscus: Its leaves relieve headaches and prevent hair loss.
- Quinine: Bark of the Cinchona sp. tree is used to make medicine for malaria.
Modern medicine
Modern medicine is produced in laboratories for widespread use and sale. It is prepared as pills, capsules, paste, suspensions and solutions.
- Analgesics relieve pain; examples: aspirin, paracetamol and codeine.
- Antibiotics kill or inhibit the growth of infectious bacteria. They are produced from microorganisms such as fungi or bacteria, or by chemical synthesis. They must be taken according to prescription to ensure that the bacteria are destroyed. Examples: penicillin and streptomycin.
- Psychotherapeutic medicines treat psychiatric patients and must follow the doctor’s dose because they can change feelings, thoughts and behaviour:
- Stimulants activate brain, body and feelings; example: amphetamine.
- Antidepressants treat depression; examples: imipramine and amitriptyline.
- Antipsychotics have sedative effects; examples: tranquilliser, barbiturates, doxepin and haloperidol.
Complementary medicine
- Keeps patients holistically healthy in physical, mental and emotional aspects; it is additional treatment used with modern medicine.
- Acupuncture: Sterile needles inserted slowly into acupuncture points stimulate the nervous system to relieve pain.
- Chiropractic: A chiropractor uses the hands to realign bones; treats back and neck pain, joint pain, headaches and sports injuries.
- Traditional massage: Hands, fingers and fists manipulate soft tissues to relieve anxiety, pain, fatigue, muscle tension and nerve problems.
- Homeopathy: Medicine is based on symptoms or complaints such as fever, pain or cough and strengthens the body’s immunity against infectious disease rather than killing the germs that cause the disease.
- Herbal therapy: Uses medicinal plants or plant parts; natural sources are believed by the public not to cause side effects or contain harmful drugs.
Use of Traditional, Modern and Complementary Medicine
- The three methods complement one another; each has its own advantages and disadvantages.
- Complementary medicine is additional treatment alongside modern medicine, not its replacement.
Use of Man-made and Natural-source Medicines
- Medicines are man-made (synthetic) or from natural sources.
- Traditional medicines usually come from natural sources. Most modern medicines are chemical compounds with molecular structures the same as, or nearly the same as, active substances in traditional medicines.
| Man-made medicine | Natural-source medicine |
|---|---|
| Produced in laboratories and commercialised on a large scale; example: vitamin C pills | Obtained from plants and animals; example: vitamin C from fruits |
| Taken regularly, usually for chronic disease, or stopped after recovery | Taken or used continuously for a long period to be effective |
| Evidence is based on clinical tests | Evidence is based on beliefs and earlier generations’ experiences |
| Side effects may occur without a doctor’s advice or the correct dose | Side effects may occur without a doctor’s advice or the correct dose |
Effects of Medicine Abuse
Medicine abuse is the wrong use of medicine, such as using it for a purpose other than treating disease or not following a doctor’s prescription. A side effect is an unwanted effect from medicine use.
- Severe side effects: allergies, vomiting, headache, fever and dizziness.
- Drug addiction when taken excessively, such as cough medicine.
- Medicine becomes less effective; the disease does not recover.
- Death.
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