How to distinguish ineffective drugs

When we buy food in the supermarket, we are most worried about whether it has gone bad. In fact, drugs also need attention. Sometimes the best we can do is to see if the medicine has expired. In fact, drugs that have not expired may also be ineffective, because drugs are affected by many factors, and the date on the packaging bag is only the storage date under normal circumstances. So when we buy medicine, we need to know whether the medicine has failed or the medicine we bought at home has not been used up. The next time you need to use it, you can judge whether you can continue to use it.

Drugs are easily affected and destroyed by light, temperature, humidity and microorganisms. If drugs are stored improperly or for a long time, the quality of drugs will be degraded or deteriorated, and the use of such drugs will have adverse consequences.

Generally speaking, whether a drug has deteriorated or not depends on physical and chemical methods or biological inspection methods to test and judge. But it is generally difficult to do it except for professional institutions. A large number of more important methods still need to observe the deterioration of drugs from the appearance, and judge the changes of drugs through human facial features. It can no longer be used when the following situations occur.

1. injection: observe whether the liquid medicine is clear and discolored. Injection is generally a clear liquid, and a few special varieties are allowed to have slight turbidity. Where there is obvious turbidity, precipitation or crystallization that cannot be dissolved, it shall not be used. Some traditional Chinese medicine injections are easy to produce turbidity or precipitation during storage, so they are not suitable for use.

2. Tablets and capsules: If tablets are found to be wet and sticky, loose pieces are swollen, deformed and cracked, sugar-coated tablets are discolored or have serious spots, they are not allowed to be used. If it is found that yeast tablets are moldy, insect-borne, vitamin C tablets are oxidized and discolored, and aspirin tablets have the sour taste of acetic acid after meeting the tide, they should not be used. Some Chinese patent medicines, such as Jin Shu Huoxue tablets, turn brown after absorbing moisture, and the tablets are loose and sticky, so they are not suitable for use. Capsules absorb moisture easily and become sticky. If the contents go bad, they can't be used as medicine.

3, powder: caking mildew, discoloration, adhesion can not be used.

4. Eye drops: use them up within the specified time after opening. If the stored eye drops are found to be discolored, if there are flocs, they shall not be used again.

5, tincture, extract, syrup: if the inspection found precipitation, mildew, discoloration, etc. Can't use it. If Belladonna mixture is stored for a long time and precipitates out, do not continue to use it.

6. Ointment: Generally, it is stable. However, it is necessary to check whether the matrix has rancidity and peculiar smell, and also to check whether the oil layer is precipitated or crystallized. If there is oil layer or crystal precipitation, it can be used after processing and blending, but it can't be used if it changes color or smells.

7, pills: discoloration, dryness, mildew, insects, odor can not be used.

Need to be reminded, don't taste toxic or irritating drugs to avoid poisoning accidents. Remind to use drugs safely at home.