Toxic herbs

October 5, 2006

What are we to make out of this

Traditional Chinese medicine causing hepatotoxicity in patients with chronic

hepatitis B infection: a 1-year prospective study. Aliment Pharmacol Ther. 2006

Oct 15;24(8):1179-86. Background Safety of traditional Chinese medicine in

patients with chronic hepatitis B is unknown. Aim To study the clinical outcome

of traditional Chinese medicine-induced hepatotoxicity in chronic hepatitis B

patients. Patients and methods All chronic hepatitis B patients in 2004 with

liver dysfunction requiring hospitalization were screened prospectively for

traditional Chinese medicine intake. The hepatotoxicity of individual

traditional Chinese medicine elements was determined by extensive search of both

English and Chinese publications. Results Of 45 chronic hepatitis B patients,

the liver dysfunction in seven (15.6%) was attributable to traditional Chinese

medicine. All had liver dysfunction pattern resembling those of acute

exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B. Three patients had adverse outcomes (two

deaths, one liver transplantation). One patient had accelerated course of

cirrhosis now awaiting liver transplantation. The identified hepatotoxic

components were Polygonum multiflorum Thunb, Cassia obtusifolia L, Melia

toosendan Sieb., Rheum palmatum L., Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans L, Alisma

orientale Juzepe, Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. and Mentha haplocalyx Briq. One

traditional Chinese medicine formula was adulterated with a highly hepatotoxic

agent, N-nitrosofenfluramine. Conclusions Traditional Chinese medicine-related

hepatotoxicity resulted in high mortality in chronic hepatitis B patients.

Prospective randomized-controlled trials with the same stringent criteria as

western medicine clinical trials are required for Chinese medicines, to document

their efficacies and safety before they can be advocated for the treatment of

patients.

Oakland, CA 94609

-

Bill Schoenbart

Sunday, September 24, 2006 8:01 AM

Re: Organic raw herbs - salvia divinorum

I think it is a bad idea for acupuncturists to prescribe an herb that is

also used by people to get high. This could cause serious negative publicity

for the profession in the future. It could even affect malpractice insurance

rates, which are currently fairly reasonable.

Salvia divinorum is also illegal in some countries and a few U.S. states.

People who have smoked it describe the experience as similar to DMT, which

is an intense psychedelic. Do we really want to give this to patients, even

for internal use? What if a patient's kid takes some and smokes it? Even if

the herb has a legitimate therapeutic use, prescribing it could bring

serious problems for TCM. Ecstasy (MDMA) also has legitimate theraputic

potential, as does LSD, but it would be a disaster to prescribe them.

....................................

Bill Schoenbart, L.Ac.

PO Box 8099

Santa Cruz, CA 95061

831-335-3165

plantmed

October 6, 2006

This is very upsetting to read. The only wild card is the wu gong. And of

course, the N-nitrosofenfluramine.

Found this:

Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Volume 19 Page 349 - March 2004

doi:10.1111/j.1440-1746.2003.03200.x

Volume 19 Issue 3

SEVERE HEPATOTOXICITY ASSOCIATED WITH A N-NITROSOFENFLURAMINE-CONTAINING

WEIGHT-LOSS SUPPLEMENT: REPORT OF THREE CASES

Cara O. Frank, R.Ac, Dipl Ac & Ch.H.

President China Herb Company of the Chinese Herb Program

Tai Sophia Institute of the Healing Arts

215-438-2977

Fax 215-849-3338

<alonmarcus

Thu, 05 Oct 2006 22:07:58 -0700

Re: Re: Toxic herbs

What are we to make out of this

Traditional Chinese medicine causing hepatotoxicity in patients with chronic

hepatitis B infection: a 1-year prospective study. Aliment Pharmacol Ther.

2006 Oct 15;24(8):1179-86. Background Safety of traditional Chinese medicine

in patients with chronic hepatitis B is unknown. Aim To study the clinical

outcome of traditional Chinese medicine-induced hepatotoxicity in chronic

hepatitis B patients. Patients and methods All chronic hepatitis B patients

in 2004 with liver dysfunction requiring hospitalization were screened

prospectively for traditional Chinese medicine intake. The hepatotoxicity of

individual traditional Chinese medicine elements was determined by extensive

search of both English and Chinese publications. Results Of 45 chronic

hepatitis B patients, the liver dysfunction in seven (15.6%) was

attributable to traditional Chinese medicine. All had liver dysfunction

pattern resembling those of acute exacerbation of chronic hepatitis B. Three

patients had adverse outcomes (two deaths, one liver transplantation). One

patient had accelerated course of cirrhosis now awaiting liver

transplantation. The identified hepatotoxic components were Polygonum

multiflorum Thunb, Cassia obtusifolia L, Melia toosendan Sieb., Rheum

palmatum L., Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans L, Alisma orientale Juzepe,

Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. and Mentha haplocalyx Briq. One traditional

Chinese medicine formula was adulterated with a highly hepatotoxic agent,

N-nitrosofenfluramine. Conclusions Traditional Chinese medicine-related

hepatotoxicity resulted in high mortality in chronic hepatitis B patients.

Prospective randomized-controlled trials with the same stringent criteria as

western medicine clinical trials are required for Chinese medicines, to

document their efficacies and safety before they can be advocated for the

treatment of patients.

Oakland, CA 94609

..

October 6, 2006

I know that has an interest in Hep., maybe he can go up to

UCLA and get the full text on this. Its hard to know for sure what is really

being said without the fine print.

On 10/5/06, <alonmarcus wrote:

What are we to make out of this

Results Of 45 chronic hepatitis B patients, the liver dysfunction in

seven (15.6%) was attributable to traditional Chinese medicine.

I don't see how they can make that claim based on this abstract. What I'm

reading is that 15.6% of the patients had an exposure to a few herbs. If I

were to suddenly develop hypertension and there's some remnants of gancao

still floating around in my body because of the formula I took once a few

days ago, would that count as " attributable to traditional Chinese

medicine " ?

That being said, we should probably get up to speed on these herbs anyway.

Polygonum multiflorum Thunb, (HE SHOU WU, YE JIAO TENG, HUANG JING???)

Cassia obtusifolia L, (JUE MING ZI)

Melia toosendan Sieb., (CHUAN LIAN ZI)

Rheum palmatum L., (DA HUANG)

Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans L, (WU GONG)

Alisma orientale Juzepe, (ZE XIE)

Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. and (GAN CAO)

Mentha haplocalyx Briq. (BO HE)

--

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.

October 6, 2006

it is very upsetting i hope someone can read the entire article and get some

more insight

Oakland, CA 94609

-

Cara Frank

Friday, October 06, 2006 3:00 AM

Re: Re: Toxic herbs

This is very upsetting to read. The only wild card is the wu gong. And of

course, the N-nitrosofenfluramine.

Found this:

Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology

Volume 19 Page 349 - March 2004

doi:10.1111/j.1440-1746.2003.03200.x

Volume 19 Issue 3

SEVERE HEPATOTOXICITY ASSOCIATED WITH A N-NITROSOFENFLURAMINE-CONTAINING

WEIGHT-LOSS SUPPLEMENT: REPORT OF THREE CASES

Cara O. Frank, R.Ac, Dipl Ac & Ch.H.

President China Herb Company

Director of the Chinese Herb Program