What is a drug and what does it include?
For us in China, drugs are mainly divided into two categories: traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine. Chinese medicine, in particular, has a long history of use and numerous medical works, from the earliest medical work "Shennong Herbal Classic" to the first official pharmacopoeia "New Materia Medica" (Tang Materia Medica), and then to? China Encyclopedia of Medicine? Compendium of Materia Medica, etc. The ancients left us a magnificent national treasure. Chinese medicine has also played a great role in our long historical process. In the long historical development process, there has never been a large-scale epidemic of infectious diseases in China (such as/kloc-the plague in Europe in the 4th century,/kloc-smallpox in the 6th century, etc.). ), which is inseparable from the credit of Chinese medicine. As for western medicine, the ingredients are clearer and the treatment is more targeted. At present, most countries in the world use western medicine (that is, chemicals). So what is the definition of drugs?
According to Article 102 of the Drug Administration Law of People's Republic of China (PRC), drugs refer to substances used to prevent, treat and diagnose human diseases, purposefully regulate human physiological functions, and specify indications or functional indications, usage and dosage, including Chinese herbal medicines, Chinese herbal pieces, Chinese patent medicines, chemical raw materials and their preparations, antibiotics, biochemical drugs, radioactive drugs, serum, vaccines, blood products and diagnostic drugs.
There are many names of traditional Chinese medicines here. Let's popularize it for everyone. Is Chinese medicine directly picked and not processed? Original medicine? . Chinese herbal pieces are processed initially, and they need to be boiled and decocted when they are bought in the barrels of general pharmacies. Chinese patent medicine is a finished product. Such as pills, oral liquids, tablets, capsules and the like. , can be taken directly according to the instructions. The Chinese medicine we talk about every day basically refers to Chinese patent medicine.
For the use of drugs, the common usage of traditional Chinese medicine at this stage is the combination of traditional Chinese and western medicine. At the same time of targeted treatment in western medicine, several boxes of Chinese patent medicines will be opened for conditioning and consolidation, and treatment will be carried out from the perspective of holism and syndrome differentiation.
Although drugs can cure diseases and save lives, they also have many hazards. Many people in the world get sick and die every year because of drug abuse. This is a drug-induced disease, including predictable (side effects of drugs themselves) and unpredictable (allergic reactions). Therefore, drugs are not delicious, so don't use them indiscriminately, and don't use them casually.
Therefore, we should pay attention to the safe and rational use of drugs in life, distinguish the types and properties of drugs, and take them in strict accordance with the instructions and doctor's advice.