Acute ones develop in a few days after medication; chronic ones can develop after a month or even a few months. Some patients already have liver damage, but no obvious symptoms show up, and only develop once they have other diseases, in which case the chances of severe liver disease are higher. Taking large amounts of Chinese medicine may cause liver damage Chinese medicine is the traditional medicine of China. For thousands of years, people have used it to treat diseases and strengthen their bodies, and it is widely believed that it is natural and has no toxicity, but it is not. Cases of liver damage caused by herbal medicine are also found in outpatient clinics. Some patients have developed the disease without recognizing that it was caused by herbal medicine and died of liver failure by continuing to use it or not treating it in time. Among the herbs that cause liver damage, there are familiar toxic drugs, such as He Shou Wu, Lei Gong Vine, Centipede powder, Zebrano, Xiong Huang, etc., and those we usually do not consider toxic, such as Dong Qing Ye, Four Seasons Green, Scutellaria, Pomegranate Peel, etc. In addition, topical medications such as Cang Er Zi, Tiger Balm, Pomegranate Bark, and Huang Yao Zi are also damaging to the liver, so topical medications should not be ignored. In clinical practice, it is found that liver damage caused by Chinese medicine varies greatly among individuals. Some can occur in smaller doses, others can be used in very large doses and only after a longer period of time, and still others do not experience liver damage. Although it varies from person to person, some people who need to take Chinese medicine for a long time or want to take Chinese medicine to regulate their body need to pay attention to this problem and have their liver function tested regularly during the course of medication. Doctor’s tip: It is recommended that when you take any herbal medicine, you should first go to an herbalist for a detailed pulse taking and consultation before determining which aspect of herbal medicine is suitable for you. What’s more, don’t use herbs with toxic ingredients for a long time, which can lead to chronic liver damage without your knowledge. After taking the medicine, if you experience gastrointestinal symptoms such as weakness, nausea, vomiting, yellowing of urine, yellowing of the whites of the eyes, and discomfort in the liver area, you should seek medical attention promptly. Also, explain to the physician in detail about the drugs that have been used to avoid misdiagnosis.