MEDICINE

TYPE OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE

PLANT	PART OF THE PLANT USED	USES
Garlic	Corm	·    For preventing flu or asthma attacks. ·    For reducing high blood pressure.
Ginger	Rhizome (horizontal underground stem)	·    For treating stomatch pain due to wind in the stomatch. ·    For supplying heat energy to keep the body warm. ·    For preventing flu attack.
Aloe vera	Leaves	·    For treating itchy skin. ·    For treating burns (scalding) on the skin.
Lemon(lime)	Fruits	·    For treating boils or abscesses on the skin. ·    For preventing flu attack. ·    For treating skin disease.
Quinine	Bark of Cinchona tree	·    For treating malaria. ·    For preventing muscle cramps.
Ginseng	Roots	·    As a tonic to improve the overall health human beings. ·    For increasing energy, endurance and reducing fatigue.
Lemon grass	Stem/leaves	·    Has antibacterial and antifungal properties. ·    For treating coughs.
Tongkat ali	Roots	·    As a tonic for after birth and general health.

TYPE OF MODERN MEDICINE

Type of modern drug	example
Analgesics	Aspirin, paracetamol, codeine
Antibiotics	Penicillin, streptomycin
Psychotherapeutic drugs	Stimulant, antidepressant, antipsychotic

FUNCTION OF MODERN MEDICINE

Analgesics are medicine that relieve pain. It also called painkillers

Type of analgesic	Function
Aspirin	·    Relief pain and has anti-infalmmatory action ·    Used to -   Reduce fever -   Relieve headaches, muscle aches, and joint aches -   Treat arthritis, a disease cause by inflammation of the joints -   Act as anticoagulant. It prevents the clotting of blood and reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes
Paracetamol	·    Similar to aspirin in its effects but it does not reduce inflammation ·    Reduces or relieve flu symptoms such as fever, bone aches and runny nose
Codeine	·    Used to relieve minor to moderate pain. It is more powerful than aspirin and paracetamol but less power than morphine. Codeine and morphine are narcotic drug ·    Also used in cough mixture for suppressing in cough

Antibiotic are chemical that destroy or prevent the growth of infectious microorganisms.

· Penicillin/Penicillium chrysogenum  is used to treat diseases, caused by bacteria such as pneumonia, gonorrhoea and syphilis

· Streptomycin is effective in treating tuberculosis

Psychotherapeutic medicine are a group of drugs that change the emotions and behaviour of the patient and are used for treating mental or emotional illnesses

Type of psychotherapeutic drug	Examples	Functions
Stimulants These are drugs that stimulate(excite) the activity of the brain and the central nervous system	·    Amphetamine ·    Caffeine	·      To maintain or increase alertness ·      To counteract normal fatigue ·      To elevate mood
Antidepressants These are drugs that increase the brain’s level of neurotransmitters and thus improve mood	·    Tranquiliser ·    Barbiturate	·      To alleviate depression ·      To relieve anxiety or tension ·      To make a person feel calm and sleepy
Antipsychotic medicine	·    Lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) ·    Chloropromazine ·    Haloperidol	·      To treat mental illness such as schizophrenia (madness)

SIDE EFFECT OF MODERN MEDICINE

Type of modern drug	Side effect
Aspirin	·         Can cause bleeding in the stomach because aspirin is very acidic ·         Can cause allergic reactions, skin rashes and asthmatic attack
Amphetamine	·         People who abuse amphetamines are excitable and talkative ·         Psychologically addictive and can cause heart attack ·         Can cause anxiety, sleeplessness, aggressive behaviour and decrease appetite ·         Can cause enlarge pupils, heavy perspiration and trembling hands
Codeine	·         Can cause addiction
Penicillin	·         Can cause allergic reactions ·         Can cause death to people who are allergic to it
Streptomycin	·         Can cause nausea, vomiting, dizziness, rashes and fever ·         Can cause loss of hearing following long-term use
Stimulant	·         Can cause addiction
Antidepressant	·         Can cause addiction ·         Can cause headaches, grogginess and loss appetite
Antipsychotic drug	·         Can cause dry mouth, blurred vision, urinary retention, constipation ·         Can cause tremor and restlessness ·         Sedation (make people calmer or make people sleepy)

CORRECT USAGE OF MODERN MEDICINE

(a)    Self-medication

Do not prescribe medicine for yourself (self-medication) or for other people. Discuss with your doctor and listen to him concerning the medicine to be taken

(b)   Follow the instructions given

Follow the instructions given by your doctor or pharmacist concerning the dosage and method of taking the medicine.

Dosage: Never take larger or more frequent doses and do not take the drug for longer than directed.

Method of taking: Different drugs are taken in different ways. For example, medicine that are acidic (such as aspirin) must be taken after food. If taken on an empty stomach, the medicine will damage the stomach lining. Conversely, antacid tablets are usually taken before food

(c)    Medicine for adults and children

Medicine for adults should not be given to children and vice versa

(d)   Use of antibiotics

Complete the whole course of antibiotic treatment given by your doctor. Do not stop taking the antibiotic just because you are already feeling well. If not, the remaining bacteria will mutate and develop resistance to the antibiotic and render it ineffective in the future

(e)   Side effects

Visit the doctor immediately if there are symptoms of allergy or other side effects of the drug

(f)     Expiry date

Like food, medicine also have expiry dates. Do not take medicine after their expiry dates