Look Before You Pop a Pill

 


Herbal Immune Booster – Giloy induced liver injury

With the onset of corona pandemic, fear has gripped our people. As no modern medicines have definetely provided a cure, people have resorted to alternative medicines for cure as well as for protection. Although, no scientific basis is available, ease of availability, misconception of absence of side effects and political blind eye has lead to use of multitude of agents without proven benefit. One such agent is Tinospora.

Tinospora cordifolia is the scientific name for a commonly used Indian plant in Ayurveda. Commonly known as Giloy, it is believed to have a long list of health benefits.Preparations utilise the stem and root of the plant which is consumed in the form of capsules, powder or juice or in an unprocessed form. Its described benefits have included anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic properties, anti-viral and anti-cancer, especially immune boosting properties, which made it popular during the pandemic.

Autoimmune hepatitis is a condition, where body’s own immune cells get activated to attack the liver cells causing severe and sometimes irreversible damaged if not timely abated. In the process of stimulating immunity, there have been instances of liver injury caused by these drugs.

In a recent publication of the most reputed liver journal of the country, they have described six cases of severe liver injury caused by Giloy. Patients had rise in their liver inzymes to more than 50 times upper limit of normal. Patients also required to undergo liver biopsy and steroids were required to save the liver, we also came acrosspatients requiring steroids and liver injury mimicking autoimmune hepatitis.

In the era of science, it is wise to question the efficacy and safety of drugs before popping any pill. No drug is 100 percent safe. If you are healthy, you do not need any medicines to stay healthy. Any medicine you take can leave a permanentscar to your organs.

If you have taken such pills and have abnormal liver tests please contact your hepatologist


If you have eny liver problems than visit DR Pathikh Parikh He is best liver doctor in ahmedabad.





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