Traditional Medicine is a term used to refer to the medical sector associated with East Asian countries, such as China, Vietnam, Japan and Korea. Traditional Medicine is highly practical where many medical documents have been recorded, passed on, verified and improved to assure effectiveness, continuously over many years. Vietnam has more than 4000 years of history; traditional medicine in Vietnam has also followed the history to develop more.

Many methods of traditional medicine have been approved by World Health Organization (WHO). For example, in 2002, WHO first published more than 40 diseases, symptoms and disorders that were effectively treated by acupuncture.

Some of the other uses of traditional medicine are also included in the technical list from the Vietnamese Ministry of Health. It proves for the effectiveness in treatment following the scientific foundation of traditional medicine.

At this moment, many methods of traditional medicine have been modernised, and in combination with “Western medicine” brings many positive and fast results to patients.

Most western medicine is studied in the way of extraction and synthesis from chemical reactions to produce an active ingredient that is effective in the treatment of diseases. While most traditional medicines are derived from plants, animals or natural minerals, which are more compatible with the human body structure than other man-made substances. Originating from nature, the notion that using traditional medicine is non-toxic, leading to the indiscriminate use of "neither horizontal nor vertical" is a very wrong view and can be harmful to users.

 During development, human ancestors knew how to use poisons extracted from plants and animals to impregnate arrows while hunting. Some traditional medicines are very poisonous and are considered toxic such as:  Cinnabaris, Asen, Calomelas, Papaver somniferum L., Aconitum fortunei Hemsl, Strychnos nux-vomica, Datura metel, ... Without knowledge, but voluntarily use can be life-threatening. 

Some medicinal herbs are considered very precious, very nutritious, but if used too much, they can also cause poisoning. Some people use ginseng and its preparations in too high a dose or too long, leading to "ginseng poisoning": increased blood pressure, excessive nervous excitement causing insomnia, headache, dizziness...

If herbal medicine is registered as a drug, it is called traditional medicine. If it is registered as a functional food, it is called functional food. Currently, functional foods are prepared in the form of tablets and capsules with modern packaging like therapeutic drugs. Because of believing in advertising, many people arbitrarily use a combination of traditional medicine with western medicine to cure diseases.

If you understand what traditional medicine is, you need to be very careful when using it in combination with western medicine in the treatment of diseases. Must use the right type, right dose, not arbitrarily combined with western medicine, wrong combination is very dangerous. For example, if you use a combination of functional foods such as garlic, ginger, and ginkgo biloba leaves with anticoagulants such as Aspirin, Warfarin, etc., it may adversely affect the effectiveness of anticoagulants of western drugs. causes severe bleeding. Or combining ginseng with antidiabetic drugs (insulin, glyburide, metformin...) can cause dangerously low blood sugar levels.

In short, Traditonal and Western medicine have similar effects and toxicity. Therefore, when combining both types for treatment, it is necessary to declare to your doctor, pharmacist what drugs you are using, to avoid unwanted drug interactions. A combination of Eastern and Western medicine also has certain advantages, but caution should be exercised when using it.

Prof. Dr. NGUYEN HUU DUC