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Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi 2019 Sep;44(17):3695-3704

State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Dao-di Herbs,National Resource Center for Chinese Materia Medica,China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences Beijing 100700,China.

Aconitums,represented by Aconite Radix,Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata and Aconiti Kusnezoffh Folium,is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine with a long medicinal history in China. They possess the significant toxicity and therapeutic effects simultaneously. Their potent effects of rescuing from dying,curing rheumatism,anti-inflammation,and analgesia make Aconitums highly regarded by physicians and pharmacists of various dynasties. Read More

J Forensic Leg Med 2019 Jul 22;65:133-136. Epub 2019 May 22.

Forensic Medicine Unit, Section of Public Health and Human Sciences, Department of Medical and Surgical Specialties, Radiological Sciences and Public Health, University of Brescia, Piazzale Spedali Civili, 1, 25123, Brescia, Italy. Electronic address:

Background: Benefits and even dangers of plants are known since time began. The ancients used plants and herbs because of their effects on the human body. Poisoning is a logical consequence of their use: history is full of episodes of plants and herbs poisoning, whether intentional or accidental. Read More

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2019 Feb 5;26(5):4588-4604. Epub 2019 Jan 5.

Department of Poultry, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44511, Egypt.

Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy and toxic metal and easily absorbed by animals and plants; subsequently, it is an environmental risk factor with several toxic effects in humans and animals. The main pathway of human or animal exposure to Cd is through its ingestion by water or food and by particles or fume inhalation during industrial processes. With continuous exposure to small levels of cadmium, it is being deposited in different tissues day after day, causing toxic effects on the liver, kidney, and testes. Read More

Arh Hig Rada Toksikol 2017 Sep;68(3):236-244

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Medicinal plants accumulate heavy metals from contaminated soil, and their consumption can cause poisoning. Our objective was to determine the levels of Pb, Cd, Zn, Cu, Fe, and Mn in four medicinal plant species (Achillea millefolium, Hypericum perforatum, Plantago lanceolata, and Urtica dioica) and their native soil, all sampled at a former smelter. The highest soil Cd, Pb, and Zn levels surpassed the maximum allowed limit 75-fold, 48-fold, and 14-fold, respectively. Read More

J Diet Suppl 2018 May 28;15(3):352-364. Epub 2017 Sep 28.

a School of Pharmacy , University of Texas at El Paso , El Paso , TX , USA.

The Dietary Supplements and Health Education Act (DSHEA), passed by the United States Congress in October of 1994, defines herbal products as nutritional supplements, not medications. This opened the market for diverse products made from plants, including teas, extracts, essential oils, and syrups. Mexico and the United States share an extensive border, where diverse herbal products are available to the public without a medical prescription. Read More

Toxins (Basel) 2017 09 15;9(9). Epub 2017 Sep 15.

Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Drug and Poisons Information Bureau, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China.

Tropane alkaloids occur mainly in plants. In the present review, the main objective is to describe the worldwide occurrence and investigations of anticholinergic poisoning due to the contamination of herbal teas and herbs by tropane alkaloids. Tropane alkaloid poisoning can occur after consumption of any medicinal plant if plants or plant parts are present as contaminants. Read More

J Ethnopharmacol 2018 Jan 12;210:88-94. Epub 2017 Aug 12.

College of Life Science, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: From early times man has used medicinal plants for the treatment of various ailments and basic health care needs. The use of herbal medicines has increased day by day and with this, so do reports of adverse events, poisoning, and suspected toxicity. Similarly, the indigenous communities of Neelum Valley in Azad Kashmir commonly use Arnebia benthamii (Wall. Read More

Biomed Pharmacother 2017 May 11;89:1105-1114. Epub 2017 Mar 11.

Biological Evaluation of Promising Substances Group, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, 130015, Colombia. Electronic address:

In Colombia, Bothrops asper is responsible for 70-90% of ophidians accidents reported annually. Envenoming occurs mainly in rural areas where both antivenom and health centers are scarce. Thus, patients are frequently treated by local healers that employ medicinal herbs; including several species belonging to Dracontium genus. Read More

J Ethnopharmacol 2017 Feb 3;197:266-273. Epub 2016 Aug 3.

Department of Veterinary Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, West Bengal University of Animal and Fishery Sciences, Kolkata, India.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Chronic arsenic poisoning due to contaminated subsoil water is a threat to society in West Bengal, India and in Bangladesh. The human being may also be affected by the exposed cattle from the affected area by consuming milk, egg, meat and others. In Ayurveda, several herbs like Haridra (turmeric), Shunthi (dried ginger root) and others are used for the management of arsenic poisoning. Read More

Wilderness Environ Med 2016 Mar;27(1):136-52

Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, School of Public Health; Department of Anesthesiology/Critical Care, School of Medicine, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) in New Orleans, New Orleans, LA. Electronic address:

The American Association of Poison Control Centers has continued to report approximately 50,000 telephone calls or 8% of incoming calls annually related to plant exposures, mostly in children. Although the frequency of plant ingestions in children is related to the presence of popular species in households, adolescents may experiment with hallucinogenic plants; and trekkers and foragers may misidentify poisonous plants as edible. Since plant exposures have continued at a constant rate, the objectives of this review were (1) to review the epidemiology of plant poisonings; and (2) to propose a rapid toxidromic classification system for highly toxic plant ingestions for field use by first responders in comparison to current classification systems. Read More

Phytother Res 2016 Jan 19;30(1):3-8. Epub 2015 Oct 19.

Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Drug and Poisons Information Bureau, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China.

Aconitum alkaloid poisoning can occur after drinking decoction and soup made from non-toxic herbs contaminated by aconite roots. In the present review, the main objective is to describe the clinical features, investigations and possible sources of contamination. A combination of neurological, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular signs and symptoms was seen. Read More

Uisahak 2015 Aug;24(2):423-55

Handok Museum of Medicine and Pharmacy, Eumseong-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, KOREA.

This article explores the indigenization of licorice(Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch.) which was the most important medicine of the Oriental Medicine. There are a lot of records on licorice even before the Joseon Dynasty. Read More

Phytother Res 2015 Aug 14;29(8):1107-11. Epub 2015 May 14.

Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Drug and Poisons Information Bureau, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China.

Aconite roots contain Aconitum alkaloids, which are highly toxic cardiotoxins and neurotoxins. In this review, the main objective was to determine the incidence and causes of Aconitum alkaloid poisoning in Hong Kong between 1989 and 2010, based on six published reports from the territory-wide poison control units. In the New Territories East of Hong Kong, the incidence of aconite poisoning showed a sudden and sustained decrease from 0. Read More

J Pak Med Assoc 2014 Sep;64(9):1081-3

Herbs have long been used in the treatment of various disorders in traditional medicine since ancient age. Artemisia absinthium, one of these herbs, has traditionally been used in different societies for antibiotic, antiparasitic, antifungal and antipyretic purposes. Here, we report a poisoning case of a 10-month-old male infant progressing with severe diarrhoea and persistent metabolic acidosis after ingesting home-prepared Artemisia absinthium extract which was given for the treatment of common cold. Read More

J Pharm Pharmacol 2015 Jan 22;67(1):1-19. Epub 2014 Sep 22.

Tianjin State Key Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China; Rwanda Standards Board, Kigali, Republic of Rwanda.

Objectives: A number of species belonging to herbal genus Aconitum are well-known and popular for their medicinal benefits in Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Tibetan and Chinese systems of medicine. It is a valuable drug as well as an unpredictable toxic material. It is therefore imperative to understand and control the toxic potential of herbs from this genus. Read More

Environ Pollut 2014 Aug;191:215-22

Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Science, Shijiazhuang 050061, China.

Ozone (O3) levels were assessed for the first time with passive samplers at 10 sites in and around Beijing in summer 2012. Average O3 concentrations were higher at locations around Beijing than in the city center. Levels varied with site locations and ranged from 22. Read More

Am J Chin Med 2014 ;42(1):207-21

Department of Pharmacology and Key Lab for Basic Pharmacology of Ministry of Education, Zunyi Medical College, Zunyi 563003, P. R. China.

Many Chinese medicines have the potential to be hepatoprotective and therefore can be used to treat acute and chronic liver diseases. The challenge is to identify the molecular target for their protective mechanism. This study investigated the induction of nuclear factor-erythroid 2(NF-E2)-related factor 2 (Nrf2) antioxidant genes and metallothionein as a common mechanism of hepatoprotective effects of Chinese medicines such as Piper puberulum. Read More

Anal Bioanal Chem 2013 May 24;405(13):4429-35. Epub 2013 Feb 24.

National Food Institute, Division of Food Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Søborg, Denmark.

The content of total and inorganic arsenic was determined in 16 dietary supplements based on herbs, other botanicals and algae purchased on the Danish market. The dietary supplements originated from various regions, including Asia, Europe and USA. The contents of total and inorganic arsenic was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and anion exchange HPLC-ICP-MS, respectively, were in the range of 0. Read More

Environ Geochem Health 2013 Apr 1;35(2):215-26. Epub 2012 Aug 1.

Institute for Biomedical Research, Medical Faculty, University of Nis, Nis, Serbia.

Aristolochic acids (AAs) are nephrotoxic and carcinogenic derivatives found in several Aristolochia species. To date, the toxicity of AAs has been inferred only from the effects observed in patients suffering from a kidney disease called "aristolochic acid nephropathy" (AAN, formerly known as "Chinese herbs nephropathy"). More recently, the chronic poisoning with Aristolochia seeds has been considered to be the main cause of Balkan endemic nephropathy, another form of chronic renal failure resembling AAN. Read More

Br J Nutr 2013 Feb 1;109(3):394-401. Epub 2012 May 1.

Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, Armilla, Spain.

Plant-based whole foods provide thousands of bioactive metabolites to the human diet that reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases. β-Caryophyllene (CAR) is a common constituent of the essential oil of numerous plants, vegetables, fruits and medicinal herbs, and has been used as a flavouring agent since the 1930 s. Here, we report the antioxidant activity of CAR, its protective effect on liver fibrosis and its inhibitory capacity on hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation. Read More

J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 2011 Oct 14;7:31. Epub 2011 Oct 14.

Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Tezpur University, Assam 784 028, India.

Background: The present paper documents the uses of plants in traditional herbal medicine for human and veterinary ailments, and those used for dietary supplements, religious purpose, local beverage, and plants used to poison fish and wild animals. Traditional botanical medicine is the primary mode of healthcare for most of the rural population in Arunachal Pradesh.

Materials And Methods: Field research was conducted between April 2006 and March 2009 with randomly selected 124 key informants using semi-structured questionnaire. Read More

Curr Drug Metab 2011 Dec;12(10):989-96

Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Mainz, Staudinger Weg 5, 55128 Mainz, Germany.

It is estimated that three quarters of the world population rely on herbal and traditional medicine as a basis for primary health care. Therefore, it is one of the most important and challenging tasks for scientists working in drug research to investigate the efficacy of herbal medicine, to dissect favorable from adverse effects, to identify active principles in medicinal plants and to ban poisonous plants or contaminations from herbal mixtures. In the present review, some problems are critically discussed. Read More

Trop Doct 2011 Apr 24;41(2):113-5. Epub 2011 Jan 24.

Department of Medicine/Preventive Cardiology, University College of Medical Sciences, University of Delhi and GTB Hospital, Delhi, India 110095.

Many herbomineral preparations are currently being used as therapeutic remedies for common ailments. Commonly known cardiotoxic herbs are Aconitum ferox (aconite), Areca catechu (betel nut), Thevetia peruviana (yellow oleander) and Cleistanus collinus (oduvan). Herbs mixed with lead, copper and/or mercury are known to be highly toxic. Read More

Hum Exp Toxicol 2011 Oct 22;30(10):1720-3. Epub 2010 Dec 22.

Department of Emergency Medicine, Chonnam National University Hospital & Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, South Korea.

Alocasia, the Araceae family, is a genus of more than 100 species of perennial, herbaceous, diminutive to extremely large, usually robust herbs with a clear-to-milky latex. They are distributed throughout subtropical and tropical Asia and in the tropical western pacific as well as eastern Australia. Despite easy access to A odora, there have been no published reports in English regarding the toxic symptoms following the ingestion of raw A odora. Read More

Southeast Asian J Trop Med Public Health 2010 Jul;41(4):1021-7

Vietnam Poison Control Center, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Vietnam.

Poisoning represents one of the most common threats against public health. This population-based study was undertaken to identify potentially hazardous environmental factors for poisoning in Vietnam, and thereby to improve the background information needed to take adequate preventive measures. The study population comprised 3814 individuals from 942 randomly selected households in Phu Tho Province. Read More

Ann Hepatol 2010 Jul-Sep;9(3):251-65

Department of Internal Medicine II, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Klinikum Hanau, Teaching Hospital of the Johann Wolfgang Goethe-University Frankfurt/Main, Germany.

This review critically analyzes the clinical data of patients with suspected kava hepatotoxicity and suggests recommendations for minimizing risk. Kava is a plant (Piper methysticum) of the pepper family Piperaceae, and its rhizome is used for traditional aqueous extracts in the South Pacific Islands and for commercial ethanolic and acetonic medicinal products as anxiolytic herbs in Western countries. A regulatory ban for ethanolic and acetonic kava extracts was issued in 2002 for Germany on the basis of reports connecting liver disease with the use of kava, but the regulatory causality assessment was a matter of international discussions. Read More

J Chin Med Assoc 2010 Feb;73(2):97-100

Department of Medicine, National Yang-Ming University Hospital, I-Lan, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.

Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) leaves resemble those of foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) when the plant is not in bloom and, therefore, cardiac glycoside poisoning may occur when people confuse foxglove with comfrey. We report an outbreak of foxglove leaf poisoning following the use of alleged "comfrey" herbal tea. Nine patients were involved and initially presented with nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and dizziness. Read More

Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2010 Mar;48(3):234-7

Swiss Toxicological Information Centre, Zurich, Switzerland.

Introduction: White or false hellebore (Veratrum album) has a toxicological relevance because of the potential for misidentification of this plant as yellow gentian (Gentiana lutea).

Case Series: We report a retrospective case series of 11 children (8-12 years) with accidental intake of V. album at a youth camp where they had collected herbs for preparing fresh herb tea. Read More

Planta Med 2010 May 14;76(8):825-30. Epub 2009 Dec 14.

Teaching Division, School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong, China.

Various processed types of FUZI (the daughter roots of the highly toxic plant Aconitum carmichaeli Debx, FZ) decoction pieces (the herbal materials processed according to the specifications of Chinese medicine manuals; " YINPIAN" in Chinese transliteration) are widely used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases, but their toxicities are not known. Nine types of FZ decoction pieces, including one raw slice and eight processed forms, were therefore prepared, each in 7 to 10 batches, to assess for their toxicity. Altogether 84 FZ samples were quantified on the amount of highly toxic diester diterpenoid alkaloids, i. Read More

Clin Toxicol (Phila) 2009 Aug;47(7):683-5

Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Medicine and Geriatrics, United Christian Hospital, Hong Kong SAR, China.

Fructus Psoraleae (FP) is used by herbalists for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, vitiligo, and psoriasis. It is used alone, or in combination with other herbs, in some countries in the form of proprietary medicine. It is recognized as one of the emerging hepatotoxins and here we report three cases of acute hepatitis after exposed to FP and its related proprietary medicine. Read More

J Gen Intern Med 2009 Nov 3;24(11):1175-82. Epub 2009 Jul 3.

Division of General Medicine and Primary Care, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, 330 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA.

Background: Some herbal supplements may contain lead.

Objective: To examine whether use of specific herbal dietary supplements during the last 30 days is associated with blood lead levels in US men and women.

Design: Cross-sectional analysis. Read More

Int J Food Microbiol 2008 Sep 29;127(1-2):180-3. Epub 2008 Jun 29.

College of Veterinary Medicine, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, 561-756, Republic of Korea.

The antibacterial potential of a preparation of medicinal herbs for the treatment of salmonellosis was evaluated. The preparation contained a combination of methanolic extracts from Mume Fructus, Coptidis Rhizoma and Schizandrae Fructus, and is designated NP532. NP532 was tested against 26 different Salmonella stains. Read More

Crit Rev Toxicol 2007 May;37(4):313-52

Biochemistry Laboratory, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Regional Station. Kangra Valley, Palampur, India.

Lantana (Lantana camara Linn) is a noxious weed that grows in many tropical and subtropical parts of the world. Ingestion of lantana foliage by grazing animals causes cholestasis and hepatotoxicity. Both ruminants and nonruminant animals such as guinea pigs, rabbits, and female rats are susceptible to the hepatotoxic action of lantana toxins. Read More

J Anal Toxicol 2006 Sep;30(7):426-33

Department of Pathology, Princess Margaret Hospital, Lai Chi Kok, Hong Kong, China.

Poisoning from aconite occurs worldwide as a result of misuse of the potent plant. Laboratory investigation into suspected intoxication cases is challenging because the content of toxic aconitum alkaloids varies depending on the plant source, market processing, dosing protocol, hydrolytic degradation, and metabolic transformation. Using a triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometer, a group screening method was developed based on the mass-fragmentographic scheme of common aconitum alkaloids. Read More

Planta Med 2006 Aug 10;72(10):865-74. Epub 2006 Aug 10.

School of Chinese Medicine, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, PR China.

Chinese medicines (CMs) are being used more and more widely throughout the world. Since there are many poisoning incidents caused by misuse or confusion of CMs, their safe use has become a critical issue internationally. In this paper, based on the investigation of the current market of CMs, reasons for various confusions of Chinese Materia Medica (CMM) are analyzed and clarified, such as herbs with multiple sources, regional custom-herbs, confusion in nomenclature, similarity in appearance, and complexity of processed products. Read More

Int J Food Microbiol 2006 Oct 27;111(3):270-5. Epub 2006 Jul 27.

College of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-Safety Research Institute, Chonbuk National University, Chonju, 561-756, Republic of Korea.

The therapeutic potentials of twenty-two medicinal herb species traditionally used in Korea to treat gastrointestinal infections were evaluated for the treatment of salmonellosis. Candidates were primarily screened using the disk-agar method for antibacterial activity against three different Salmonella serotypes. Of the herbs tested, the aqueous and methanolic extracts of Schizandrae Fructus exhibited antibacterial activity against all three Salmonella. Read More

Zhongguo Zhong Yao Za Zhi 2006 Jan;31(2):93-7

Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing 100700, China.

This article summarized the toxic components, toxication faeature and mechanism and clinical poisoning reports of Senecio spp. The distribution of major toxic components pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) in Chinese medicinal herbs and the application of Senecio spp. in China were also recapitulated. Read More

Am J Kidney Dis 2005 Feb;45(2):407-10

Department of Medicine, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Hong Kong, SAR, China.

The authors report a case of unexplained nephropathy 2 months after ingestion of Herba Aristolochia Mollissemae in a patient with long-standing Crohn's disease and recently diagnosed carcinoma of the colon. It presented as a relentlessly progressing hypocellular interstitial nephritis 5 months after cessation of an earlier course of mesalazine. The patient finally had end-stage renal failure 12 months after taking herbs and required hemodialysis. Read More

Ther Drug Monit 2005 Feb;27(1):53-7

Drug and Poisons Information Bureau, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China.

In Hong Kong, a multidisciplinary team consisting of a pharmacist, a chemical pathologist, a scientific officer, and a physician has jointly provided an advisory service on herbal safety to healthcare professionals of all public hospitals since August 2000. This paper reports the first 2 years of experience of this team to emphasize the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to herbal poisoning. Twenty referrals received from the public hospitals from August 2000 to June 2002 were reviewed. Read More

Environ Health Perspect 2004 Jun;112(9):959-69

School of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Sewage sludge from municipal wastewater treatment is used in agriculture as a nutrient source and to aid in moisture retention. To examine the potential impact of sludge-amended soil on exposures to polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) from plant and animal foods, we conducted a review of published empirical data from international sources. Levels of PCDD/F in municipal sewage sludge ranged from 0. Read More

J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 2003 ;41(3):235-9

Toxicology Department, Clinical Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Montevideo, Uruguay.

Plants and herbs have been used to induce abortions but there is very little published information describing the commonly used ones. The purpose of this report is to describe the herbal products used to induce abortions, and to enhance awareness and understanding of their toxic effects. A descriptive retrospective survey was conducted on the calls received by the Montevideo Poison Centre between 1986 and 1999 concerning the ingestion of herbal infusions with abortive intent. Read More

J Ethnopharmacol 2003 Mar;85(1):69-72

College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, San 56-1, Shillim-Dong, Gwanak-Gu, South Korea.

The anti-oxidant activities of the various fractions from the herbs of Artemisia apiacea were investigated. The n-hexane and n-butanol fractions were found to cause significant free radical scavenging effects on DPPH, their scavenging potencies as indicated in IC(50) values, being 230.1 and 183. Read More

Semin Nephrol 2003 Jan;23(1):49-65

Department of Nephrology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.

Widespread human exposure to a variety of drugs, chemicals, and biologic products and recent awareness of their toxic manifestations has led to the recognition of toxic nephropathy as an important segment of renal disease in the tropical countries. Tropical nephrotoxins are distinctly different from those seen in the rest of the world and are derived from local fauna and flora or plant and chemical sources. The spectrum of exposure varies from country to country and even from community to community, depending on variations in the distribution of local plants and animal species and prevalent social practices. Read More

Adverse Drug React Toxicol Rev 2002 ;21(4):171-7

Hwa To Centre for Chinese Medicine, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.

Plant sources of some traditional Chinese herbs may have changed over time. History records of herbal toxicity should be viewed critically when different plants might have been used under the same name in earlier eras. The current main source of the Chinese herb Mu Tong is Aristolochia manshuriensis. Read More

Drug Saf 2002 ;25(11):823-8

Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong, China.

Background: In Hong Kong 'chuanwu' (the main root of Aconitum carmichaeli) and 'caowu' (the root of Aconitum kusnezoffii) are used by herbalists to treat patients with various musculoskeletal disorders. These aconite roots contain aconitine, mesaconitine and hypaconitine, which are neurotoxins and cardiotoxins. During 1989 to 1991, 31 patients were treated in public hospitals because of poisoning by aconite roots and there were two deaths from ventricular arrhythmias. Read More

Eksp Klin Farmakol 2002 Jan-Feb;65(1):41-3

Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Biochemistry, and General Chemistry, Ul'yanovsk State University, ul. K. Libknekhta 1, Ul'yanovsk, 432063 Russia.

The hepatoprotector activity of original compositions of plant origin, containing beet and carrot juices, decoction of dog rose fruits, and extracts of corn silk, peppermint leaves, and common horsetail herbs was studied on an acute hepatitis model induced by tetrachloromethane. An analysis of the data on the hepatocyte cytolysis, cholestasis, lipid peroxidation, and antioxidant system of blood serum showed that the preparations possess membranoprotector and antioxidant properties. This was manifested by a decrease in the activity of alanine aminotransferase and in the levels of total bilirubin and the final (malonaldehyde) and intermediate (diene conjugates) lipid peroxidation products, and by the absence of decline in the level of endogenous alpha-tocopherol and in the activity of glutathione-dependent enzymes. Read More

Aten Primaria 2001 Sep;28(5):311-4

Centro de Salud Nazaret, Consellería de Sanidad y Consumo, Valencia, Spain.

Objective: Given the possibility of adverse side-effects, interactions with medicines and poisoning by contaminants among herbal medicine consumers (HM), we aimed to describe the consumption of HM by health centre users being treated with medicines.

Design: Cross-sectional, observational study.Setting. Read More

J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2001 Jan;127(1):40-7

Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, National Research Center, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt.

Irritant diterpene ester toxins were isolated from Euphorbia nubica and E. helioscopia, which are contaminants of the green fodder of livestock in Egypt. Fractionations of methanol extracts of aerial parts of both plants were monitored by the irritation unit on the mouse ear. Read More

J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2001 Jan;127(1):34-9

Department of Animal Reproduction, National Research Center, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt.

The feeding of lactating goats on usual green fodder, contaminated with Euphorbia helioscopia or E. nubica, results in poisoning of the dams as well as their suckling kids. General signs of toxicity were emaciation, depression, shedding of body hair, arching of back, and possible death. Read More

J Toxicol Clin Toxicol 2000 ;38(7):803-8

Toxikologische Abteilung der II. Med. Klinik, Klinikum r.d. Isar, TU München, Germany.

Background: Herbs from Lycopodium are generally reputed to be nontoxic and are occasionally used for preparing a salubrious tea. In Europe, the common Lycopodium clavatum can be easily confused with Lycopodium selago, the fir club moss.

Case Report: We report 2 patients who drank a tea, erroneously prepared from dried herbs of Lycopodium selago, which resulted in sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, cramps, and slurred speech. Read More