Heavy metal poisoning from Ayurvedic Medicine

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

 

We practitioners of Chinese medicine have been at the forefront of improving the

quality of our medicinals and minimizing the import of tainted products from

China.  Also new FDA regulations which will take effect shortly should further

raise the bar, pretty much eliminating the danger of heavy metals.

 

However, as I was driving home Sunday night from treating a patient, I happened

to hear a news story on the BBC about a new study from Boston University finding

serious heavy metal poisoning (lead, mercury, and arsenic) in Ayurvedic

medicine,with the same incidence of those produced in India and those produced

in America.   Pretty shocking! Furthermore, in the news story, they indicated

that practitioners specifically used heavy metals therapeutically believing that

in a decocted mixture, their toxicity is minimalized. 

 

Of course, Chinese medicine also has a history of utilitzing medicinally toxic

substances like mercury, but in the last ten or so years, both due to Western

practitioner's awareness of heavy metal poisoning and FDA intervention on

imports this has been reduced to a minimum.  One would think the same would be

true in Ayurvedic medicine, but apparently not so...or not yet. 

 

Here's a link to an article about the

study:http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7583573.stm