Chinese patent herbal medicines - Potential Hazards & What to look for

Traditional Chinese medicine with the use of herbs, acupuncture and body manipulation techniques have been around for hundreds of years. Having been brought up using Chinese medicine & having incorporated it within my naturopathic practice, I know that it works.

Warning
However, health care practitioners & their patients should be aware of some of the less than legitimate products out there on the market. In Asia, there are many patent medicines available and are quite effective at treating different conditions. However, there are also medicines which have hidden ingredients not listed on the packaging. Sometimes, steroids are incorporated into creams claiming to treat eczema & at other times, laboratories have found erectile dysfunction drugs such as viagra in chinese patents claiming to cure sexual dsyfunction. There are also instances where heavy metals such as lead have been found in both Chinese & ayurvedic products. Lead is toxic to the body and can accumulate over time.

Health Canada Warning (June 25/08.)
Health Canada is advising consumers not to use several Chinese herbal products sold as treatment for erectile dysfunction because they have been found to contain sildenafil, a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction & some also contain glibenclamide, a diabetes drug.

The products are: Nangen Zengzhangsu (may also be known as Nangen or Nangeng); Sanbianwan; Jiu Bian Wang; Tian Huang Gu Shen Dan; Zui Xian Dan Gong Shi Zi, and Power Up.

Look for a Drug Identification Numbers (DIN)
Many effective Chinese patents cannot be found legitimately in Canada, but they are sometimes sold anyway. These patents are without Drug Identification Numbers (DIN) & have not been assessed by Health Canada. Even though the products may be legitimate (ie. free of toxins & does what it claims to do), without a DIN, health care practitioners cannot assure their patients that the medicine is safe for consumption and free of drugs & heavy metals. All prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications & medicinal herbs are required to have a DIN.