A guide to common medicines you need in a hot summer

1. Heatstroke miraculous medicine: Huoxiang Zhengqi water

It has the effects of dispelling exterior pathogens, eliminating dampness, and promoting qi. Used for gastrointestinal discomfort or colds caused by heatstroke in summer. For example, in the hot and humid weather after a rainstorm, or in long "sauna days", people feel nausea, headache, loss of appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea, and Huoxiang Zhengqi is particularly suitable.

Precautions for use: It is mainly used to treat gastrointestinal colds caused by severe cold and dampness in the body and external wind-cold evils. Due to the frequent alternation between hot and cold, the common cold presents the characteristics of a mixture of cold and heat, but most patients do not experience gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting. Relying solely on drinking Huoxiang Zhengqi water for treatment may cause the cold to be "incurable for a long time."

2. A must-have for motion sickness: Ren Dan

It has the effect of dispelling wind and strengthening the stomach. It has precise efficacy, low price, easy to take and high safety. It is a good heat-relieving medicine in hot weather. It can solve summer indigestion, nausea and vomiting, motion sickness, seasickness, mild heatstroke, drunkenness and fullness and other problems.

Precautions for use: The medicine contains camphor, which is toxic to a certain extent. Frequent consumption of Ren Dan can easily cause liver and kidney damage, so it must not be abused. If the symptoms of heat stroke do not improve after taking the medicine for one day, you should go to the hospital for treatment. Children and the elderly need to take the medicine under the guidance of a doctor, and pregnant women should not take it.

3. Secret recipe for refreshing the mind: Fengyoujing

Cooling, analgesic, wind-dispelling and antipruritic. It is easy to be attacked by mosquitoes in summer. Fengyoujing can relieve the itchy feeling to a certain extent. When you feel motion sickness, seasickness, or have a cold and headache, apply a little on your temples to relieve the symptoms.

Precautions for use: Fengyoujing contains ingredients such as camphor, which have volatility and penetration effects and will affect the development of the fetus. The use of Fengyoujing in newborns may also induce jaundice, convulsions, etc. If used when sweating, these ingredients will be absorbed by the human body through the sweat glands and may easily cause allergies.

4. The eternal miracle drug: Isatis root granules

Clears away heat, detoxifies, cools blood and relieves sore throat. Used for sore throat and dry oropharynx caused by excessive heat in the lungs and stomach. As a commonly used and inexpensive over-the-counter medicine, people are "too familiar" with Isatis root, which is used to treat colds, viral infections, and for prevention and treatment during epidemics of infectious diseases.

Precautions for use: It is bitter and cold in nature. It is not suitable for colds caused by wind and cold, or for people who are weak and afraid of cold. If used blindly, it will "cure the opposite effect" and thus aggravate the condition. If a healthy person takes too much Isatis root, it will damage the spleen and stomach and may easily cause disease.

5. Essential for diarrhea: berberine

It can clear away heat and dampness, promote qi circulation and relieve pain, and stop dysentery and diarrhea. It is one of the most well-known, inexpensive, easy-to-take and convenient medicines for treating diarrhea. Summer is the peak season for diarrhea, and many people think of it first when they have diarrhea.

Precautions for use: Berberine hydrochloride is poorly absorbed after oral administration, and almost all of its components remain in the gastrointestinal tract. It is particularly effective for inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract such as gastroenteritis and bacterial dysentery. It has no effect on non-infectious diarrhea and abdominal pain, such as gastrointestinal dysfunction, irritable bowel disorder, allergic enteritis and psychogenic diarrhea.

6. The “smell” of a bad boy: Yunnan Baiyao

It can promote blood circulation, relieve pain, detoxify and reduce swelling. It is often used to treat injuries from falls, blood stasis, swelling and pain, coughing up blood, bloody stools and skin infections. According to legend, it is a must-have item for chivalrous men in the martial arts world to fight against evil and protect the good; on the battlefield full of bullets and guns, it is a life-saving elixir that brings soldiers back to life.

Precautions for use: Yunnan Baiyao should not be sprinkled directly on the wound to stop bleeding. Doing so will often cause wound infection. Its hemostatic effect must be achieved through a series of complex physiological processes in the body after oral administration, and it cannot achieve the purpose of hemostasis by simply relying on the powder to act directly on the wound blood vessels.

In summer, you should know how to store medicines when taking them.

Different drugs have different "environmental enemies". Air, temperature, humidity, ultraviolet rays, packaging containers, insects and microorganisms are the main "troublemakers".

Tablets: most afraid of moisture

Tablets contain excipients such as starch, which easily absorb moisture and cause fragmentation, deliquescence and adhesion. After absorbing moisture, sugar-coated tablets will become spotted, discolored, and even swell and moldy, which will not only greatly reduce the efficacy of the medicine, but sometimes also cause toxic side effects. For example, aspirin will decompose into salicylic acid and acetic acid after absorbing moisture. It has a high concentration of acidity. Deteriorated medicines will emit an acetic acid smell, which is very irritating to the gastrointestinal tract and may induce gastric mucosal bleeding. Other products that are easily affected by moisture include yeast tablets, calcium gluconate, capsules, etc.

Recommendation: Store in sealed container and tighten the lid after each use. If the environment is humid, you can plug the bottle mouth with a cork. During the rainy season in the south, you should use air conditioning, desiccant, etc. to dehumidify.

Vitamins: most afraid of light

Western medicines are basically chemical preparations. The ultraviolet rays in sunlight will accelerate their deterioration and reduce their efficacy. For example, the efficacy of commonly used vitamin C and cod liver oil will decrease when exposed to light. Nitroglycerin, as an emergency medicine for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular patients, will lose its efficacy and delay the disease if it is not stored away from light and heat. The same is true for antibiotics and injectable drugs.

Recommendation: These medicines need to be stored away from light and avoid being placed in places exposed to direct sunlight such as windowsills.

Capsules: most afraid of heat

Studies have found that the chemical reaction of drugs will accelerate as the temperature rises. For every 10°C increase in temperature, the chemical reaction rate will increase by 2-4 times. Capsules will soften and stick together when heated; eye drops will produce flocs, mildew, crystals, etc.; granules will easily become sticky, clump, and infested with insects when heated; suppositories are mostly inserted into the anus and vagina, and are gradually absorbed at a human body temperature of 37°C, and are easily subject to qualitative changes in the hot summer; some special medicines, such as insulin and immunoglobulin G, should be refrigerated in a refrigerator at 2°C-10°C.

Recommendation: Heat-sensitive medicines should be stored strictly in accordance with the storage conditions on the instructions. Room temperature generally refers to 10℃-30℃; a cool place refers to no more than 20℃, and a cold place refers to 2-10℃. If the medicine changes color or shape, do not take it anymore, but suppositories can be used if they are softened at high temperatures and stored in the refrigerator.

Syrup: Most afraid of cold

Putting the syrup in the refrigerator will cause it to precipitate and crystallize, resulting in uneven drug concentration, inaccurate dosage when taken, and affecting efficacy. If it is an external cream for skin, once the temperature is too low, it will cause the matrix to stratify and affect the efficacy of the drug.

Recommendation: These medicines can be stored at room temperature. Be sure to cover the opened syrup with a lid to prevent the growth of microorganisms. Take only as much as you need and pour it out, do not pour it back.

Traditional Chinese Medicine: Most Afraid of Insects

Traditional Chinese medicine is mostly in the form of pastes, pills, pills and powders. Honey is often added when making these medicines, so they are particularly attractive to insects.

Recommendation: Store according to doctor's instructions, and pay attention to moisture-proof and mildew-proof. If the refrigerator does not have humidity control function, it is not suitable to store Chinese medicinal materials.