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Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has thousands years history. It has unique basic theories and diagnostic methods. It is a very effective therapy in treating many chronic diseases and some acute diseases. If you are interested in TCM, welcome to pop in to this TCM forum, let's discuss on any topic about Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture. You are welcome to visit my clinic at Hanover square London. W1S 1BN

Thursday 24 June 2010

Why antibiotic doesn’t works in some conditions?


Tiejun Tang
Nearly everybody had the experience of taking antibiotic to treat their disease. Sometimes it works well but sometimes it doesn’t work. Why antibiotic doesn’t works in some cases? There are at least two reasons.

Firstly, antibacterial spectrum doesn’t match the pathogens.
Every antibiotic has its antibacterial spectrum. Usually this spectrum is quite narrow. One antibiotic only can kills one class of bacteria. Even there are some wide spectrum antibiotics but there still can not cover so many different kind of bacteria. Doctors often select antibiotic through an in vitro drug sensitivity test. We have to wait for few days time to get the result of this test. In some emergency case time means the life. Doctor has to select one or two antibiotic through their experience. If the selected antibiotic missed the target bacteria, this antibiotic treatment will be no effect.

Secondly, drug resistance makes its effect greatly discount.
Very similar to other biological race, bacteria have an instinct of avoid being killed. They can change their subtype by change gene expression. That is why when you first time use an antibiotic it works but when you use it at second time it doesn’t works. Doctors have to increase the doses or change a new antibiotic. Pharmacologist have to keep on research for invent new drugs. Sometimes a new antibiotic has been put in clinical use only few month, there are antibiotic resistant strains can be find in some patients. It looks like a race between new antibiotic and its resistant.

When antibiotic doesn’t works, we can not increase too much dosage, because nearly every antibiotic has some side effect. Some of them may causing liver or kidney function damage while detoxify through these organs. Some may cause fateful allergic reaction, or permanent damage of the auditory nerve. How can we do at this condition?

In Chinese medicine, detoxify and clean heat herbs have a very good function in inhibiting or killing many kind of bacteria. For example, Huanglian (Rhizoma Coptidis), Huangqin (RadixScutellariae), Pugongying, (Taraxacum), Diding (Viola philippica Car). The antibiotic effects of these herbs have been proved by many laboratory experiments.

Some tonic Chinese herbs can inhibit bacteria by enhancing immune system of the body. It can help patient to fight and expel the pathogen with their own immune function. For example, Huangqi (Radix Astragali), Danggui (Angelica sinensis), Baizhu (Rhizoma Atractylodis Macrocephalae), Renshen (Radix Ginseng).

Chinese herbs often have a wider antibacterial spectrum. No drug resistance in most of bacteria. Doctors always select different herbs according to symptoms differentia diagnosis. When your antibiotic doesn’t works, why not to try some Chinese herbs? They are green nature antibiotics.