Herbs: Not Always A Remedy
Belgian researchers say the Chinese herb Aristolochia fangchi damaged the kidneys of 105 weight-loss patients at a Belgian clinic and apparently caused 18 cases of cancer among them.
The herb was contained in a weight-loss pill the patients took.
“Our findings reinforce the idea that the use of natural herbal medicine may not be without risk,” Dr. Joelle Nortier of Hopital Erasme wrote in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
The report shows how dangerous dietary supplements can be, and should help convince Congress that they should be regulated, Dr. David Kessler, former head of the Food and Drug Administration and now dean of Yale's medical school, wrote in an accompanying editorial.
The FDA announced Thursday it is stopping the importation of herbs in the Aristolochia family because they had caused kidney failure in Belgium and in Britain, where they were being used to treat a skin condition.
Other cases of kidney damage from Chinese herbs have been reported in France, Spain, Japan and Taiwan, according to Nortier.
In Belgium, the herb was not listed among the ingredients of the weight-loss pills and was put into them by mistake, Nortier said.
Aristolochia fangchi's name in Chinese is similar to that of Stephania tetrandra, the herb that was supposed to be in the pills, and it often is substituted for the Stephania, according to Kessler.
“Since there is virtually no control over the quality of these products, it is not unusual not to know what is actually in herbal preparations and dietary supplements,” he said.
The herb was in weight-loss pills prescribed in Belgium from 1990 to 1992, when Belgium banned Chinese herbs.
Since then, the hospital in Brussels has treated 105 patients for kidney damage and 43 of them for kidney failure, Nortier said.
A warning from CBS News Medical Correspondent Emily Senay that Aristolochia fangchi could cause further damage in the U.S. unless the government takes more action.
Speaking with anchor Bryant Gumbel on The Early Show Thursday, Dr. Senay displayed a mixture containing the herb she easily obtained from a Chinese herb shop in New York City.
She said while it has been banned already in Canada, Britain, Germany and Australia, it is available for purchase on the Internet and it’s a common ingredient in many different Chinese herbal remedies. You won’t find it in supermarkets, she said. But it is commonly prescribed for a variety of ailments by Chinese alternative medicine practitioners, usually included in a mix of other herbs.
So far in the U.S. Dr. Senay said, “Congress has passed legislation that limits the power of the FDA to act until after someone gets harmed.” Otherwise she feels Congress is powerless to regulate the industry, though it has issued a warning about these kinds of remedies and kidney damage.
And hat other herbs should we watch out for? Those containing ephedra are not safe, according to Dr. Senay. Ephedra is a stimulant that can increase blood pressure and cause irregular heartbeat, she said. And it has been known to cause death from cardiovascular problems in people with heart problems or high blood pressure.
Other herbs Dr. Senay warned about: "Chaparral, comfrey and coltsfoot are all herbs thought to cause liver damage. Senna can cause cramps, intestinal discomfort and yohimbe can cause seizures and kidney failure."
Dr. Senay offered another caution about herbs. “Some herbs can make you more sensitive to the sun, and there are countless other variables that can affect what your reaction might be to taking herbs, such as dosage, frequency and duration of use.”
And sometimes, with a mixture of natural herbs, it’s hard to identify a single ingredient or what different effects and interactions might be.
To find out which herbal remedies are safe and which ones aren’t, Dr. Senay recommended an old standby.
"You really need to consult with your doctor to evaluate whether they are appropriate for you or not."
But beware. There is very little scientific data available on most alternative medicines.