Drink Isatis Root when you feel unwell? Be careful not to get poisoned and fall into a coma!

Review expert: Peng Guoqiu, deputy chief physician of the Fourth Medical Center of the General Hospital of the Chinese People's Liberation Army

As winter approaches, various respiratory diseases occur frequently

Cold, cough, runny nose

Isatis root has become a must-have medicine for many people

Drink a pack every now and then

It's called "preventing colds"

However, can it really be drunk “mindlessly”?

01Drinking Isatis Root and falling into coma and being hospitalized

Can you really drink Isatis Root casually? Mr. Zhang was admitted to the hospital because of drinking Isatis Root!

Mr. Zhang himself has a history of diabetes and hypertension, but not only did he not follow the doctor's advice for standardized blood sugar-lowering treatment, he also stopped taking antihypertensive drugs on his own!

After dinner one day, Mr. Zhang felt discomfort in his abdomen and chest. To relieve the discomfort early the next morning, he found 8 packets of Isatis Root Granules and drank them all !

In the afternoon, he felt worse chest tightness and dry mouth, and kept drinking water but it didn't relieve the pain. He felt very uncomfortable. Then, Mr. Zhang went to the hospital for treatment.

After examination at the emergency department, Mr. Zhang's blood pressure reached 207/113mmhg, and his blood sugar was as high as 32.7mmol/L. Mr. Zhang not only had symptoms of confusion and mumbling but unclear, but also had heavy breathing and a strange smell.

He was finally diagnosed with "diabetic ketoacidosis coma and stage 3 hypertension."

02 Why does Isatis root cause diabetic ketoacidosis?

When seeing this news, we can't help but ask, isn't Isatis root a common household medicine? How could it cause poisoning?

Wu Wenjuan, from the Department of Critical Care Medicine, Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital affiliated to Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, said that when the blood sugar of diabetic patients is not well controlled, there is not enough insulin in the body, and blood sugar cannot enter cells normally to provide energy. At this time, the body can only rely on breaking down fat to obtain energy, and this decomposition produces a large amount of ketone bodies (including β-hydroxybutyric acid, acetoacetic acid, and pyruvic acid).

"They are all acidic substances. When they accumulate in the body in large quantities, they cannot be metabolized and excreted in time, leading to acid-base metabolism disorders in the body. When the accumulation of acidic metabolites exceeds the body's compensatory capacity, symptoms of ketoacidosis will appear, and in severe cases, coma or even death may occur." said Wu Wenjuan.

In addition, in order to improve the taste of the medicine, some Chinese patent medicines on the market add sucrose, and the content is not low, which is not suitable for diabetic patients. "The eight packets of isatis root that Mr. Zhang drank made him consume a large amount of sugar in a short period of time, thus inducing diabetic ketoacidosis."

The "odd smell" produced when Mr. Zhang breathes is also one of the symptoms of diabetic ketoacidosis. Metabolic acidosis stimulates the respiratory center of the medulla oblongata, which can cause deep and rapid breathing, and the patient will exhale an odor similar to rotten apples (acetone odor).

In fact, Mr. Zhang is not the only one who drinks Isatis root casually. Many netizens on social platforms have said that once they feel unwell, they will drink a packet of Isatis root.

You can even drink it as a beverage. This kind of operation is absolutely NO!

03 Isatis root is not a panacea!

The Chinese medicinal herb Isatis root is a heat-clearing medicine and is the dried root of the cruciferous plant Isatis indigotica.

Modern research shows that Isatis root contains organic acids, alkaloid amino acids, flavonoids and other compounds, which have antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and detumescent pharmacological effects.

However, "it is a misunderstanding to take cold medicine in advance to prevent respiratory diseases." Lu Lijun, deputy chief physician of the Department of Pulmonary Diseases at Wuhan Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, said that cold medicines such as Isatis root can only relieve symptoms, but cannot prevent diseases. In fact, no medicine can prevent colds, and Isatis root certainly cannot.

Experts remind that the best preventive measures for respiratory infectious diseases are still wearing masks, washing hands frequently, and ventilating frequently. In addition, it is also important to exercise more, ensure sleep, eat a balanced diet, and enhance immunity.

04 It cannot prevent diseases, so take it with caution!

Isatis Root Granules cannot be taken as a preventive medicine on a daily basis and must be taken strictly according to the drug instructions:

Isatis root is a medicine for treating wind-heat. If the elderly and weak use it improperly or use it for a long time, they will experience adverse reactions such as fear of cold, cold limbs, and lack of appetite.

Young children's spleen and stomach functions are not yet fully developed, and frequent use of Isatis root may cause symptoms such as indigestion;

Pregnant women and patients with underlying diseases such as diabetes should consult a doctor before taking it;

Healthy people should not take large amounts of Isatis Root Granules in a short period of time. Isatis Root is bitter and cold in nature, and regular consumption can easily damage the spleen and stomach, causing diarrhea and indigestion.

Do not take large amounts of Isatis root for a long time. When the liver's detoxification ability decreases, it is easy to accumulate poisoning and cause damage to the digestive system and hematopoietic system.