How Prescription Natural Medicine Can Be Consumed

‍When consuming prescription natural medicine, different methods and the site of absorption will impact how the compounds are absorbed, distributed, and metabolised by the body, altering your body’s response to them.

This means that the format selected will have varying effects on the duration, strength, and quality of your experience. 

Let’s look at five different ways to consume prescription natural medicine:

1. Inhalation (including vaping and smoking methods)
2. Ingestion
3. Sublingual
4. Topical
5. Suppositories

‍Inhalation

There are two different ways to consume dried herb via inhalation — smoking and vaporising — both of which produce rapid onset and similar effects. 

In medicinal contexts, vaping is preferable to smoking prescription natural therapies and medications because it reduces the amount of undesired hydrocarbons being absorbed into the body while also alleviating the need for tobacco, which can lead to addiction and other serious health issues. 

Vaping is considered the healthier alternative to smoking for medical patients as it also allows for a more precise dose to meet the therapeutic needs of a patient, given that less of the dosage of the active ingredients is lost in side stream/combustion. 

The TGA does not recommend smoking for administering medication and it is not an approved delivery method for prescription natural medicines. 

Vaping

Vaping is the process of heating the dried herb or prescription natural medicine extracts at high heat without burning it. This allows for the active ingredients of the medication to be released in the form of a vapour, which is then inhaled. Inhalation delivery methods(like vaping) allow for the active ingredients to be absorbed directly into the bloodstream through the lungs, making this the preferred method for patients who require rapid relief from their symptoms.

Pros of Vaping Prescription Natural Medicine

Some of the benefits of vaping instead of smoking dried herb include:

• Rapid onset and fast relief – first effects occur within 90 seconds and reach a maximum after 15 to 30 minutes before wearing off after 2–3 hours. Useful for symptoms and conditions where immediate relief is required.¹
• Higher concentrations of active ingredients – vaporising heats the medication without burning it², which maintains the concentrations and quality of the active ingredients. This enables better absorption of the active ingredients.
• Temperature control – patients can control the temperature of their vaporiser to achieve desired benefits based on the boiling points of their medicine’s ingredients.
• Potential reduction in overall consumption – enhanced active ingredient uptake, reduced cravings due to no tobacco, and the ability to easily pick up and put down the vaporiser as needed allows patients to use less dried herb than they would need to use when smoking. This reduces the amount of medication needed long-term and saves the patient money over time.
• Fewer carcinogens and safer than smoking dried herb
• Decreased respiratory symptoms compared with smoking⁴
• Drastic reduction in pyrolytic smoke compounds compared with smoking⁵
• Legal in public smoking areas with a prescription
• It is the only inhalation method approved for prescription natural medicine consumption by the TGA
• More discreet than smoking – vaping is easier to conceal than smoking and does not release as strong a smell due to the dried herb being safely heated rather than burnt.

Cons of Vaping Prescription Natural Medicine

Although vaping prescription natural medicine – particularly with a TGA-approved dry-herb vaporiser – is known to be safer than smoking, it can still come with health risks.

The negative health risks associated with vaping are often related to the use of illegally manufactured vape products⁶ and vape products with chemical profiles that are closer to that of e-liquids. Some of these health risks include:

• EVALI: Potentially Fatal Lung Injury, as well as other health issues. The risk of damage increases significantly if your vape product contains a chemical called vitamin E acetate, which is not present in medically approved vaporisers.
• Ingestion of harmful by-products, including microbial contaminants, toxic chemicals, carcinogens, and addictive substances like dextromethorphan which are often found in black market natural medicine oils, unapproved vape pens, cartridges, and e-liquids. 
• Vaporiser injuries from unapproved vapes can also range from burns to accidental liquid ingestion and a lung disease known as 'popcorn lung.' 
• Lung injuries
• Heart issues

Patients who have an underlying condition that affects the lungs or airways, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, may be advised against using a vaporiser to consume their prescription natural medicine. In these cases, the doctor may prescribe a treatment to be taken sublingually or orally.

To be safe and effective, prescribed dried herb should be vaporised using a TGA-approved dry-herb vaporiser within the correct temperature range as advised by your prescribing doctor. While these vaporisers can be more expensive than non-medical-grade vaporisers, they are known to have significantly less health risks.

We recommend talking to your doctor before using a vaporiser with your prescribed natural medicines and only use your treatments and vaporiser as advised. Learn more about vaping here.

Smoking

Although smoking is the oldest and most common way to consume for recreational natural medicine users, it is not recommended for legal, prescription natural medicine patients due to the health risks and the variability and unpredictability of each individual’s response. 

Some common smoking methods include the use of rolling paper or smoking devices such as pipes or bongs. Other consumption methods are recommended and considered healthier alternatives for medical patients such as ingestion, sublingual, or vaping methods. In fact, prescription natural medicines are typically consumed via oral routes, with an estimated 71% of patients opting for this method in Australia.⁷

Here are some things to consider when it comes to smoking methods:

• At least 40% of the active ingredients found in prescription natural medicine are lost in side stream/combustion when smoking, making it difficult to estimate the amount of medication a patient is receiving.⁸
• The smoke from prescription natural medicine, like tobacco smoke, is also associated with an increased risk of cancer, lung damage, and poor pregnancy outcomes⁹. It can also inflame and irritate your respiratory system due to exposure to heat, burned organic matter, and carbon monoxide.
• If you smoke your prescription natural medicine in combination with tobacco, you are increasing your risk of many health conditions and diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and chronic respiratory conditions¹⁰.
• Smoking prescription natural medicine is not supported by the TGA.
• Smoking prescription natural medicine is less discreet than vaping as the smoke from natural medicines has a distinct smell. It's also not an approved way to consume your medication in public smoking areas – even with a valid prescription.
• Smoking dried herb with tobacco is more likely to lead to addiction and dependence, which can cause patients to use more medication than required. This is primarily due to nicotine – the addictive substance found in tobacco – and not the prescription natural medicine itself. 
• You may need to use more of your prescription natural medicine treatment to achieve the same results as you would with vaporising, due to active ingredients being lost in combustion. This increases the costs of your medication over time. 

Ingestion

Ingestion methods of natural medicines involve the consumption of any prescription natural medications that are consumed orally.

These typically include: 

• Edibles 
• Tinctures 
• Oils 
• Capsules 
• Extracts

While the effects of natural medicines will take longer to kick in when taken orally, they will also last longer¹. This makes them ideal for medical conditions or symptoms where control over longer periods of time is required, similar to other types of slow-release medication. In a 2022 study of 1600 participants, oral consumption was the most common method for prescription natural medicine use (72%) in Australia⁷.

When prescription natural medicines are ingested, their active ingredients are absorbed directly into the patient’s digestive system and gastrointestinal tract before metabolising in the liver, resulting in slightly varying medicinal properties and both stronger and longer-lasting effects when compared to other methods. 

 Natural medicine-infused edibles – such as gummies, cookies, candies, drinks, and more – are another popular ingestion method, however, there are limited edible prescription natural medicine treatments that are legally available in Australia.

Pros of Ingestion

• No risk to lung health
• Ability to manage dose in exact measurements
• Can be consumed discreetly 
• Effects last longer than other methods (4 to 12 hours)

Cons of Ingestion

• It may take 30 minutes to two hours¹ to feel the full effects from ingested medication, however, some patients may find this to be an advantage due to convenience and longer duration of effects.
• When ingesting a treatment that contains certain active ingredients there is a potential for a second spike of psychoactive effects when the ingredient has been metabolised in the liver after initial effects, which may be unwanted or unexpected. 

Sublingual

The sublingual method of prescription natural medicine delivery involves placing the treatment under the tongue, a consumption method that allows active ingredients to be absorbed directly into the blood vessels of your tongue, bypassing the digestive system. 

Treatments taken sublingually can come in the form of: 

• Oil 
• Tinctures 
• Lozenges 
• Tablets 
• Sprays 
• Wafers

Patients who use this delivery method will place their sublingual medication under their tongue so that the mouth's mucus membranes – similar to those in the lungs – absorb the consumed medication into the bloodstream. 

Because this method allows the active ingredients in the medication to bypass the digestive system, its bioavailability is higher than that of edibles and other ingestible prescription natural medicine treatments, allowing for faster onset and higher concentrations of active ingredients. 

Pros of Sublingual

• Faster onset of effects than ingestion methods (typically 15 to 40 minutes)¹¹
• No risk to lung health
• Ability to manage dose in exact measurements
• Can be consumed discreetly 
• Sublingual oils and tinctures have a longer shelf life and are easier to store than dried herb, edibles, and other treatments 
• There is a low risk of degradation of active ingredients and other compounds when the medication is stored at the correct temperature)

Cons of Sublingual

• Some patients may find sublingual administration slightly more inconvenient than ingestion or inhalation methods, due to having to hold the treatment under the tongue for approximately 1 minute or more
• Depending on your treatment, you may not enjoy the taste of the treatment under your tongue

Topical

In this method, the prescription natural medicine products are applied directly to the skin, penetrating only the top layers of skin and providing localised relief from inflammation, pain, skin irritations, and more. This is one of the most discreet ways of consuming natural medicine.   

Topical prescription natural medicine products come in a variety of forms. These typically include: 

• Balms 
• Lotions 
• Creams 
• Salves 
• Transdermal patches 

Topical natural medicine skin creams in particular have shown promise in treating symptoms of skin conditions like acne, psoriasis and eczema¹², arthritis¹³, neuropathy pain^14, and jaw pain¹⁵ in some patients.

For most topical applications, the active ingredients of the medication react with receptors under the skin but do not reach the bloodstream. Transdermal patches, however, are one method designed to slowly release active ingredients into the bloodstream over a longer period of time, usually producing effects within 15 minutes.

There is clinical evidence suggesting the beneficial effects of the active ingredients found in prescription natural medicine in treating a range of skin conditions¹⁶. However much more research is needed in this area.

Pros of Topicals

• Ideal for localised relief
• Non-impairing – the active ingredients do not penetrate blood vessels, meaning topical treatments are unlikely to be psychoactive (won’t get you high)
• Minimal side effects
• No dose limitations (can be applied multiple times a day)
• Easy to use
• Very discreet

Cons of Topicals

• Effects are localised to specific area
• May require continued application if symptoms persist (more than once a day)
• The transdermal patch may be visible depending on the area that requires treatment

Prescription Natural Medicine Suppositories

Suppositories offer a targeted dose of active ingredients to a localised area that can help facilitate higher absorption rates in the body. 

Suppositories can be particularly useful for those suffering from ailments related to the mid-lower region of the body, including pelvic inflammatory diseases, inflammatory bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, endometriosis, and more. 

In this method, the prescription natural medicine is provided in a solid form to be inserted into the rectum or vagina. Oil suppositories have one of the greatest absorption rates of all delivery methods, producing effects within 10 to 15 minutes for rectal administration. 

Unfortunately, prescription natural medicine suppositories are currently not available in Australia, but we hope that in the near future, more and more approved natural products with therapeutic benefits, such as suppositories, are made available to Australian patients.

Pros of Prescription Natural Medicine Suppositories

• Provides localised relief from symptoms
• Great alternative for those who cannot or prefer not to take ingestible, sublingual, or inhaled natural medications, due to age, medical condition, chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, difficulty swallowing, or personal preference
• Fast onset of effects
• Long duration of effects (peak effects felt within 2–8 hours with an overall duration of about 8 hours)¹⁸
• Generally safe and well-tolerated
• Unlikely to produce a ‘high’ sensation

Cons of Prescription Natural Medicine Suppositories

• Some patients may find this delivery method uncomfortable or invasive
• Mainly provides relief to a certain area, may not be suitable for relieving generalised symptoms like anxiety
• Patients need to be mindful of the ingredients in the solid, oil-based holder used to contain the prescribed natural medicine in case of allergy or sensitivity
• Patients also need to be mindful of hygiene and sensitivity in areas where the suppository is inserted to avoid health issues like yeast infections

Medically Approved Ways to Take Prescription Natural Medicine in Australia

Consuming prescription natural medicine via vaporisation (with a TGA approved vaporiser), ingestion, sublingual methods, and suppositories are all approved methods for consumption in Australia with a valid prescription. 

Always follow the advice of your prescribing doctor when selecting the way you wish to consume your prescribed treatment- as well as the dosing and administration instructions provided in your prescription or on your treatment packaging

What Is the Best Way for Me to Consume Prescription Natural Medicine?

While there are many different ways to consume prescription natural medicine, it’s important to note that not everyone experiences these medicines in the same way. What works best for one patient may not necessarily be the ideal method for you. 

Tolerance levels, metabolism, and other biological factors vary from person to person, so it’s important to establish which consumption methods work best for you with the support of your prescribing doctor.