Guanajuto, Gto. July 11, 2016.- Interns of the University of Guanajuato (UG) reflect on the impact of the patient who auto-medicates from alternative or traditional medicine, with a research that lands in the book titled "The Family medic before traditional medicine."

This book has a compilation of 20 frequently used plants by the Mexican community, which were researched deeply from its history, physical and biological feature, and a table that shows the indication and contraindication of alternative medicine based in scientific articles with a high grad of evidence.

Sandra Guadalupe Domínguez Ortega, M.D., head professor from the specialty in Family Medicine at the Unit of Family Medicine from Unit 49 in the city of Celaya, Guanajuato, is responsible for the project and informed that this idea is an initiative of the UG students Class of ´14, who researched the plants used by the patients, as well as the posture of the physician on these alternative treatments.

This research, clears Dr. Domínguez Ortega, is not about disapproving the use of traditional medicine, neither encourage their prescription but to generate the responsible use –in case of existing—in the traditional practice of plant, since a wrong dosage can cause serious consequences that can lead to death.

"Our objective is that society knows that for being natural, its use is not harmless, people should be aware that there is a dosage for traditional medicine and a schedule", affirmed Dr. Domínguez Ortega, hence, the book shows the adverse effects it may have.

The book contains a documented research on the main pathologies which the population recurs to traditional medicine, as well as drug interactions with established treatments by medics, meaning, knowing in the alternative treatment interferes with the patient's recovery.

It is worth mentioning that the book was distributed to diverse venues with the specialty in family medicine in the country, such as Chiapas, Puebla, Chihuahua and Guanajuato, within the Seguro Social and through the annual fair "Exposition of traditional medicine, indications, dosage and adverse effects" where there is a direct dialogue so the patient can know the traditional medicine in detail.

Due to the social impact of this publication, the new generation of interns at the University of Guanajuato currently works in the second book, but with a greater content of 100 researched plants. Besides, it is a research where it shows where the traditional medicine is born and why it is used.