If you touch this thing within a year, you will definitely not be able to have a child

Many people already know that ribavirin in Western medicine can cause congenital malformations or death of the fetus. Men and women taking ribavirin should adopt at least two or more contraceptive methods for effective contraception before, during and for at least 6 months after stopping the medication. But few people know that there is also a class of drugs in traditional Chinese medicine that should be avoided before and during pregnancy because they can reduce fertility and have teratogenic effects. Let’s talk about Chinese patent medicine containing cinnabar - people who want to have a baby within 1 year, regardless of gender, should avoid taking it.

1. Cinnabar: has a clear teratogenic effect

Cinnabar has certain sedative, hypnotic and anticonvulsant effects. Chinese patent medicines containing cinnabar, such as Angong Niuhuang Pills, Niuhuang Qingxin Pills, Baizi Yangxin Pills, Bushen Yinao Tablets, Zixuedan, Zhibaodan, Zaizao Pills, Liushen Pills, etc., are widely used in clinical practice.

1. Ancient people’s understanding of cinnabar’s toxicity

The "Shennong Bencaojing" believes that cinnabar is non-toxic and can strengthen the body if taken for a long time. It is the main raw material for the alchemy of "immortality". But as experience accumulated, the ancients gradually realized the toxicity of cinnabar.

The Compendium of Materia Medica states: "If used alone or frequently, it can make people dull and sluggish." The Compendium of Materia Medica states: "Human fire is hot and poisonous and can kill people." "Taking cinnabar frequently... I developed a carbuncle on my back in my later years. Doctors blamed the cinnabar, and antidotes were ineffective."

2. It has been proven that cinnabar can be absorbed orally

The main component of cinnabar is mercuric sulfide (＞98%), and it contains a small amount of free mercury and soluble mercury salts. The content of free mercury is 10,000 times higher than the national standard for mercury in tap water.

Although the human body's absorption rate of inorganic mercury is only 5%, the inorganic mercury in cinnabar can react with methylated substances (rich in methane in the intestines) with the participation of bacteria in the intestines to produce methylmercury, and the absorption rate of methylmercury can reach 100%.

After being absorbed through the gastrointestinal tract, cinnabar is distributed highest in the kidneys and liver, accounting for more than 70% of the total absorption. Therefore, the "Dictionary of Chinese Medicine" states that "people with liver and kidney dysfunction should not use it."

3. Cinnabar has serious reproductive toxicity

Animal experiments have shown that after pregnant rabbits take cinnabar orally, the mercury content in the placenta is higher than that in the liver, kidney and other organs. Taking cinnabar can not only reduce the conception rate and fertility, but also harm the baby rabbits through the placenta.

Mercury's reproductive toxicity to males: Mercury can reduce the mating ability of male animals and destroy testicular interstitial cells and spermatocytes. The developmental toxicity of the second generation of male mice exposed to methylmercury is more significant than that of the first generation.

Mercury's reproductive toxicity to females: Mercury can reduce the ovarian function of female animals and lead to infertility; mercury can pass through the placenta and accumulate in the fetus, causing embryo absorption, death or deformity.

2. Cinnabar: Excretion in the body is very slow

Animal experiments have shown that the absorption half-life of oral cinnabar is 0.2 hours, the mercury content in the blood reaches its peak in 11 hours, and the elimination half-life of mercury in the human body is 65 to 70 days.

Although the amount of mercury that enters the human brain tissue is not large, it is metabolized very slowly, with a half-life of 240 days. It can easily lead to cumulative poisoning, damage the central nervous system, and have an adverse effect on the intelligence and memory of the fetus and infants ("using it alone or frequently can make people dull").

The elimination half-life of a drug refers to the time required for the concentration of a drug in the human body to drop by half. The half-life of mercury in the human body is 65 to 70 days. That is to say, after 5 half-lives (5×65=325 days, about 1 year), about 97% of the mercury in the body can be excreted.

3. Commonly used Chinese patent medicines containing cinnabar and cinnabar content

It is an international consensus that cinnabar is a toxic substance, so some developed Western countries such as the United States and Canada prohibit the import of Chinese patent medicines containing cinnabar.

Chinese patent medicines are composed of multiple Chinese medicinal materials. After interaction, they may reduce the gastrointestinal absorption of cinnabar, but they may also enhance the gastrointestinal absorption of cinnabar. So far, there is a lack of relevant research data.

Cinnabar has clear reproductive toxicity and a long half-life. In order to reduce the risks of medication, people who want to have a baby within 1 year, regardless of gender, should avoid taking Chinese patent medicines containing cinnabar.