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His Excellency the Vice - President of Health Specialties of King Khalid University (KKU), Prof. Dr. Khalid Al Jelban, has recently inaugurated an awareness campaign about the harmful effects of herbal mixtures. The campaign which was titled "mixtures of herbal medicine or disease" was organized by the Faculty of Pharmacy, represented by Dawaa Club, and in cooperation with the Saudi Pharmaceutical Society, and Al-Nahdi pharmacies. The occasion took place in Asir Mall in Abha.
On this remarkable occasion, the Dean of the Faculty of Pharmacy, Dr. Abdul Rahman Al Sayari, clarified that the campaign aims at raising awareness of the members of the society on the harmful effects of herbal mixtures, and on how bad people exploit patients and their need for medications. Those bad people start selling harmful products that may contain bacteria, in exchange for exorbitant sums of money. Dr. Al Sayari said, "On the other hand, useful herbs can be used correctly in fighting chronic diseases."
Furthermore, the campaign was accompanied by holding two exhibitions; one for the males and the other for females. The two accompanying exhibitions were overseen by a number of students of the Faculty of Pharmacy, who provided advice and guidance to visitors with an indication of the risks of herbal mixtures, which lies in the source of these herbs. The students of Faculty of Pharmacy indicated that the place where these herbs were planted may be contaminated with metals toxics, such as lead, arsenic, cadmium, and mercury. In addition, these herbs are sprayed with toxic substances, as well as stored wrongly. The place of storage of herbal mixtures is an important factor because it is difficult to identify insects and feces of rodents when mixed with herbals. The exhibitions also included a special corner for anonymous medical herbals. The corner highlighted their dangers and harms, and how herbals merchants cheat in making up the mixtures. The corner also urged for the use of other healthy guaranteed alternatives. In this field, there was a special corner which was interested in medicinal plants, and in their right uses. The students of Faculty of Pharmacy showed the kinds of drugs that are contradictory with the use of these herbals. As a part of the subject of the campaign, a corner was dedicated to showcasing some of the interactions between certain medications and foods, and the impact on the effectiveness of these medicines.
The campaign officials stressed that normal consumer cannot tell if it was clean herbal mixtures or not, since many of these mixtures contain the remains of pesticides, which had not been cleaned before being mixed. In addition, some herbal mixtures contain heavy metals, which their accumulation inside human body affects the vital functions in the body, which would be in danger, such as kidney failure or exposure to acute poisoning.
The officials at the campaign showed that the medications taken by the patient may conflict with herbal mixtures, as blood thinners drugs that are inconsistent with ginger or garlic; the matter which may make the person who deals with herbal mixture components that contain those plants, at risk of bleeding. Moreover, Gansing conflicts with diabetes medications and blood thinners. The campaigners pointed out that cosmetics herbal mixtures are the widest spreading. Merchants add chemicals randomly to these mixtures. Banned drugs are added to slimming mixtures which make the human body at risk of contracting certain diseases.
On this subject, a brochure was prepared to coincide with the preparation of an awareness campaign entitled: "herbal mixtures are medicine or a cause of diseases". The brochure included a definition of herbal mixtures, why community has to use them, the risks of herbal mixtures, ways to defraud the public, and tips for users.
The campaign did not overlook the entertainment side of the children; there was a corner to draw cartoon characters on children's faces. It has been equipped with a special photographic studio for free.
It is noteworthy that this campaign comes as part of King Khalid University's role in community service and in its efforts to create awareness within the community. The campaign has seen a large turnout exceeded 500 visitors. A lot of misconceptions about herbal mixtures were corrected during the campaign.
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