Alexander L. Pastushenkov

Department of Pharmacology, St. Petersburg University 199034, Universitetskaya Emb. 7-9, St. Petersburg, Russian Federation.

Correspoding Author E-mail: alexanderpastushenkov@yandex.ru

DOI : https://dx.doi.org/10.13005/bpj/1254

Abstract

Phytotherapy is the direction of medicine which is based on the scientific use of organic plants and herbs. It positively affects the human body, is highly effective, almost harmless, so the topic is highly relevant. The aim of the work is to study phytotherapy in complex treatment and prophylactic measures in the field of public health and education in the Russian Federation. Natural plants are able to improve human immunity and thereby cope with the disease. Phytotherapy is a powerful and harmless means requiring a serious scientific approach. Therefore, for a comprehensive study of the issue of phytotherapy, various theoretical methods of analysis, synthesis, description, and comparison were used in the study. The author found that the use of herbal and medicinal charges positively affects the body but there are also contraindications in use. These include intolerance to phytopreparations; acute conditions requiring urgent therapy; acute phases of a number of chronic diseases, etc. The author also established fundamental problems in the field of Russian phytotherapy as a medical method and a discipline. The studied problems can become a stage on the way to a healthy lifestyle for a person.

Keywords

chronic diseases; Medical method; metabolic therapy; phytogenesis; therapeutic method

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Copy the following to cite this article: Pastushenkov A. L. Phytotherapy in Total Treatment-and-Prophylactic Actions of Health Care and Training in Russia. Biomed Pharmacol J 2017;10(3).

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Introduction

The standard terms “phytotherapy” and “phytopreparations” were for the first time introduced into circulation by the French doctor Henri Leclerc (1870 – 1955). In the western tradition the term “herbalistika” or “phytology” making broader sense, than medical application of plants is more characteristic.

The role and place of phytotherapy in a complex of treatment-and-prophylactic actions within modern Russian health care was repeatedly discussed in the last decades. According to the WHO classification phytotherapy is one of components of traditional medicine. Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation treats phytotherapy all “treatment method by means of vegetable means in the field of traditional medicine”. With a huge regret it should be noted that in Russia of medical discipline “phytotherapy” and the medical specialty “phytotherapist” doesn’t exist, with all that it implies. But thus rather restrained condition of phytotherapy as the method quite logically is entered in provisions of clinical practice, and first of all – clinical pharmacology.

Treatment by plants is not panacea from all diseases, but also not simple help. It is an equal component of the most difficult complex what modern therapy is. In one situations it validly panacea (the prevention of diseases supporting and recovery therapy), in others – help (therapy of the sharp periods of a disease), thirdly – it as equals with modern treatment. An assessment of a role and a place of vegetable preparations in each case – the most important problem of medical science and practice.^1,2

Рhytotherapy is a kind of the metabolic therapy operating at the level of fabric reactions of life support. At the same time this method of treatment fully meets the requirements of pathogenetic therapy as it has direct impact on processes of a fabric exchange. But thus it is not only about separately allocated substances (alkaloids), but also about the complex of biologically active agents containing in one or several herbs. It perfectly I showed experiment of the last 200 years.

Now for phytotherapy in the Russian treatment it is possible to postulate some provisions definitely:

Рhytotherapy is the component of traditional medicine acting on the basis of scientifically admitted and reasonable facts.

At the heart of phytotherapy as scientific and medical method, the phytochemistry, a farmakognoziya and clinical phytopharmacology multiplied by centuries-old experience of doctoring lie.

In phytotherapy galenova and novogalenova preparations as herbs entirely, and their separate parts, and also ofitsinalny preparations of a phytogenesis are used.

Рhytotherapy, as well as any medical method, has to be applied taking into account indications, contraindications and side effects, in adequate dosage forms and dosages.

Рhytotherapy acts as pathogenetic and symptomatic therapy, and in some cases even etiotropny therapy.

Рhytotherapy uses the vegetable preparations providing adequate functioning of nervous, endocrine and immune systems through ensuring activity of power and plastic metabolism.

Рhytotherapy, as well as many other medical methods, assumes rather prolonged use of preparations at a relative minimum of toxic complications.

Despite a huge choice of the medicines delivered by pharmaceutical industry, phytotherapy remains by a popular method of treatment at the population and it is rather widely recommended by doctors of various specialties, including pediatricians and geriatricians.³

Materials and Methods

The study of phytotherapy is laborious and requires a logical approach in its investigation. Therefore, the methods of analysis, description, comparison, review of scientific literature were used in the study. During the analysis the author established that the study of phytotherapy is carried out only in the system of postgraduate education. The method of phytotherapy can cure a person from various diseases. In this case, medicinal plants and complex preparations made of them are used. These plants are used in fresh, dried form, and also by separating the active substances from them using a simple treatment that preserves the structure of natural components (infusionы, extractы, etc.).

Using the description, the principles of phytotherapeutic treatment, indications and contraindications for the use of medicinal plants were established in the study. Comparison made it possible to establish similarities, differences in phenomena and objects. The normative acts in the field of public health were analyzed. During the analysis it was established that phytotherapy cannot completely replace synthetic drugs.

Results and Discussion

Now in medical practice of our country over 17 thousand medicines among which about 40 percent are made from medicinal vegetable raw materials are used.

Data of the foreign researches conducted in 10 countries showed that more than a third of the population prefer to use means of traditional medicine, respectively paying for them. More than a third of oncological patients in Europe apply means of traditional medicine to improvement of the state. More than 60 percent of students of medical higher education institutions, general practitioners, hospital doctors supported inclusion for studying of phytotherapy in programs of primary and postdegree education.

Phytotherapy in comparison with other recognized methods has a number of advantages:

Safety of the main part of plants for most of the population with possibility of their prolonged use;

Biological compatibility between complexes of biologically active agents of plants and physiologically active agents of an organism;

Variety (polyvalency) of actions of plants and the possibility of treatment connected with it them at the same time several diseases;

Relative simplicity and convenience of preparation and use of phytopreparations, including in house conditions;

Efficiency of preparations of herbs as at functional frustration of an organism and easy forms of diseases, and for increase of medical effect of specific therapy, during the supporting treatment, at stages of rehabilitation actions, sanatorium treatment;

Possibility of use of essential part of herbs with the preventive purpose for maintenance of homeostatic reactions of an organism at all stages of human life.

However it is necessary to remember that means of phytotherapy because of slowly coming therapeutic effect can’t replace synthetic medicines completely. On the other hand, as any treatment, phytotherapy has the indications and contraindications. At non-compliance with rules of preparation, storage, preparation, use of herbs they can be inefficient, and in some cases and toxic for a human body.

In the course of phytotherapeutic influence it is necessary to adhere to the following principles:

Adequacy attributability, or phytotherapy pokazannost for this stage of treatment and this patient (individualization);

At chronic diseases possibility of a continuity of treatment, thus an admissibility of replacement of separate components, for the reasons as accustomings, and complications;

An uslozhnyaemost or expediency of the applied phytotreatment methods that is directly connected with privedushchy point;

The fundamental principle for any kind of treatment: “Don’t do much harm – Noli Nocere!”

As it is paradoxical, phytotherapy in Russia had practically until recently no official regulation though according to legislative norms the doctor has the right to use in the practice any farmakopeyny preparations of a phytogenesis taking into account indications and contraindications. And only recently there were documents partly regulating this method. Among them the order No. 238 MZ Russian Federation of 2003 and methodical recommendations “Application of methods of phytotherapy in practical health care” MZ Russian Federation, 1999. In them criteria of use of phytotherapy in medical practice are formulated.

Indications for application of phytotherapy:

At chronic diseases – as a part of complex therapy:

atherosclerosis;

arterial hypertension at 1 stage; on 2-3 stages of a disease as an auxiliary method;

rhinitis, tonsillitis and other diseases of the top airways;

not obstructive and obstructive diseases of lungs;

bronchial asthma (at early stages as etiotropny therapy, further in the form of auxiliary);

gastritises, stomach ulcer of a stomach and duodenum;

dyskinesia zhelchevyvodyashchikh of ways, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis;

dysbacterioses, fermentopatiya, enterokolit, locks;

pyelonephritis, cystitis, pochechnokamenny illness, prostatitis, prostate gland adenoma

gynecologic diseases;

dermatitis and other diseases of skin;

neurosises and hypoxemic states.

At sharp diseases of FT it is used as an auxiliary method against medicamentous therapy:

acute respiratory diseases (restoration of protective barriers of the top airways, mukotsiliarny transport in bronchial tubes, immunocorrection, febrifugal therapy);

sharp cholecystitis (for zhelchegonny and anti-inflammatory therapy, prevention of formation of concrements);

sharp infections of urinary tract (diuretic and anti-inflammatory therapy, prevention of a kamneobrazovaniye);

sharp gastritises and enterokolit (elimination and prevention of dysbacteriosis, normalization of a chair, anti-inflammatory therapy).

In prevention of complications of pharmacotherapy acts as recovery therapy after carrying out a basic course.

Contraindications to phytotherapy:

Individual intolerance of phytopreparations.

The sharp, menacing lives of a state and a disease demanding urgent therapy (as the only method!):

at oncological diseases;

at septic and infectious diseases;

at mental diseases, tuberculosis, at a number of diseases sexually transmitted.

Sharp phases of a row chronically and sharply proceeding diseases (the asthmatic status, hypertensive crisis, a sharp myocardial infarction).

Against pregnancy (selectively!), as application certain herbs and preparations can cause:

changes of hormonal balance with prevalence of an estrogen – don’t use:

fruits of an anise of ordinary (fructus Anisivulgaris), roots of a glycyrrhiza (radices Glycyrrhizae), leaf of a sage (folia Salviae), soplodiya of hop (strobili Lupuli);

possible toxic complications – don’t use all plants containing alkaloids;

the irritation of a parenchyma of kidneys – isn’t used by kidneys: birches (gemmae Betullae), rhizome and roots of a madder of tinctorial (rhizomata et radices Rubiae), fruits of a juniper (fructus Juniperi), bud of a pine (gemmae Pini), grass of a horsetail (herba Equeseti);

the strengthened removal of oxalates with urine – isn’t used: leaves and fruits of cowberry (folia et fructus Vitusidaeae), fruits of a cranberry (fructus Oxycocci), roots of a rhubarb (radices Rhei), leaves of a bearberry (folia Uvae ursi);

the rush of blood to a uterus with the subsequent abortion – isn’t used: leaves of an aloe (folia Aloes), fruits of a buckthorn (fructus Ramnicatharticae), bark of a buckthorn (cortex Frangulae), roots of a rhubarb (radices Rhei), Senna’s leaves (folia Sennae);

strengthening of nausea and vomiting – isn’t used: leaves of an aloe (folia Aloes), fruits of pepper (fructus Capsicum), high doses of a grass of a violet (herba Violae), flowers of an ekhinatsea (flores Echinaceae);

teratogenny action isn’t used: neofitsinalny types of a ginseng (Ginseng), all species of a grass of a wormwood (herba Artemisiae) in Russia;

uterotonichesky action (increase of a tone of muscles of a uterus) – don’t use: herbs of a marjoram (herba Origani), shepherd’s bag (herba Bursae pastoris), wormwood (herba Artemisiae), pustyrnik (herba Leonuri), thyme of ordinary (herbaThymivulgaris), lavender (herbaLawandulae), yarrow (herba Millefolii), chisteets of bukvitsetsvetny (herba Stachydis betoniciflorate), fruits of a juniper (fructus Juniperi), raspberry (fructus Rubus idaeus), fennel (fructus Anethi), flowers of a camomile of pharmaceutical (flores Chamomillae), leaf of a primrose (folia Primulae).

Considering the aforesaid, phytotherapy in Russia is recommended as a medical method for practice of hospitals and policlinics, sanatorium establishments, preschool and school collectives, the improving centers.^4,5 Despite statements of a number of experts about small efficiency or even absence that phytotherapy on the huge massif of medical supervision statistically proved the importance and efficiency. The method of phytotherapy is evidence-based by numerous works of the Russian scientists, practical doctors, pharmacists, healers and practicians of alternative (national) medicine. It is improved as a treatment-and-prophylactic method, as a basis for creation of new medicines, including on the basis of national traditions. At the same time practical application of a method of phytotherapy in Russia, unfortunately, sticks on enthusiasm of small group of people – to enthusiasts of this business. Phytotherapy and release of medicinal vegetable preparations as that has no state support and isn’t priority for the state, unlike many other countries.^6,7

Phytotherapy, as well as any other method, demands the prepared medical shots. But in system of Standards of training of the Russian medical students the subject “phytotherapy”, as well as related to it “farmakognoziya” are absent. Specialization in this section of medicine exists only after the termination of medical school in system of postdegree additional education in various volume of hours. Cycles of preparation of this sort of doctors-phytotherapists exist at the First Moscow state medical university of I.M. Sechenov, at the Russian university of friendship of the people (Moscow), at Northwest state medical university of I.I. Mechnikov (St. Petersburg), etc.

For acquaintance of medical students with phytotherapy problems in a number of medical schools of Russia (St. Petersburg, Petrozavodsk, Volgograd, Maikop, Tomsk, etc.) facultative courses – additional elective courses of students are given.

In modern conditions the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Russian Federation and Federal Agency for Technical Regulation and Metrology actually refers the experts of health care working in the field of phytotherapy to the category “specialists doctors”, or “highly skilled healers and practicians of alternative and traditional medicine”.⁸

At the moment (since January 1, 2015) in Russia conditions of profession of a physician also changed. The Federal law of 21.11.2011 N 323-FZ (an edition of 29.12.2015) “About bases of protection of public health in the Russian Federation” (with amendment and additional, became an occasion to it. in force from 01.01.2016). According to article 69 of the Law “Right for Implementation of Medical Activity and Pharmaceutical Activity” medical activity have the right to be engaged the persons who got a profile education according to state standards and having the certificate on accreditation of the established sample.⁵ Without this document the doctor or the expert has no right to be engaged in professional medical activity. It equally concerns also the doctors practicing phytotherapy methods. Though this law came into force, but its action in questions of professional activity and accreditation is prolonged for 4 years. It is during this time supposed to prepare finally accreditation criteria, and also to designate the list of the establishments responsible for it. In the field of phytotherapy accreditation of experts is supposed to be carried out at the level of the Russian professional medical association of traditional and traditional medicine (RANM) on condition of passing of primary specialization (primary training on phytotherapy) at the aforesaid medical institutes within postdegree preparation.

Special attention it is necessary to pay attention to illumination of problems of phytotherapy in the medical and public press.^9,10 Now publications mostly represent one of two diametrical positions: either “adherents”, or “opponents” of FT. This situation with lightness of a number of publications in mass media is aggravated.

Conclusion

Thus, in the field of the Russian phytotherapy as medical method and subject matter, there is a number of serious problems. Among is as follows:

Absence of the legal status of the specialty “phytotherapy”, the expert of “phytotherapist” and the necessary licensing and training connected with it.

Absence in the register of medical specialties of phytotherapy and, respectively, the doctor-phytotherapist’s position in the staff of treatment-and-prophylactic institutions.

Lack of systematic education in the field of phytotherapy for various categories of medical and pharmaceutical experts, and also various categories of the population.

Absence for the herbal remedies (which aren’t containing toxic and strong agents) adequate techniques of their studying, research, standardization, dispensing, a toksikometriya.

Thus, in Russia ripened need of preparation, consideration and acceptance of a state program of development of phytotreatment and phytoimprovement of the population, as paramount, economically justified and perspective direction in improvement of the nation.

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