Reasonable Rascal
07-16-04, 20:14
Lead Poisoning Linked to Use of Traditional Asian Medications
By Anthony J. Brown, MD
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jul 08 - Several cases of lead poisoning that recently occurred in the US seemed to have resulted from the use of traditional medications found in India and other South Asian countries, according to a report released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Known as ayurvedic medications, these traditional agents can contain a variety of organic and inorganic products and may be produced in nonstandardized formulations. Although many traditional medications do not contain lead, certain branches of the ayurvedic discipline consider heavy metals to have therapeutic properties.
From 2000 to 2003, a total of 12 cases of lead poisoning possibly related to ayurvedic medications were reported to the CDC. Five of the cases occurred in New York, three in Massachusetts, two in California, and one each in New Hampshire and Texas. Nearly all of the patients were originally from India.
Abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting were common presenting symptoms. On further work-up, the patients were noted to have markedly elevated blood lead levels that ranged from 27 to 112 micrograms/dL.
All of the patients admitted using some type of ayurvedic medication. Analysis of several of the agents revealed the presence of lead and the investigators were unable to identify other possible sources of lead exposure.
Although one patient was successfully treated without chelation therapy, this treatment was employed in most patients.
About 95% of lead poisonings in the US occur through occupational exposure, according to the report. "It's difficult to know exactly how big the problem of traditional medicine-related lead poisoning is," Dr. Pam Meyer, an epidemiologist with the lead branch of the CDC, told Reuters Health. "There could very well be more cases out there" than those identified in the current study.
Most of the patients in the study brought the medications into the US from India or elsewhere, "so they sort of fell through our regulatory system cracks," Dr. Meyer said.
"The public should be cautioned about using traditional medicines from other countries," she added. "I think you're probably safer if you take a US-made product."
MMWR 2004;53:582-584.
By Anthony J. Brown, MD
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jul 08 - Several cases of lead poisoning that recently occurred in the US seemed to have resulted from the use of traditional medications found in India and other South Asian countries, according to a report released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Known as ayurvedic medications, these traditional agents can contain a variety of organic and inorganic products and may be produced in nonstandardized formulations. Although many traditional medications do not contain lead, certain branches of the ayurvedic discipline consider heavy metals to have therapeutic properties.
From 2000 to 2003, a total of 12 cases of lead poisoning possibly related to ayurvedic medications were reported to the CDC. Five of the cases occurred in New York, three in Massachusetts, two in California, and one each in New Hampshire and Texas. Nearly all of the patients were originally from India.
Abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting were common presenting symptoms. On further work-up, the patients were noted to have markedly elevated blood lead levels that ranged from 27 to 112 micrograms/dL.
All of the patients admitted using some type of ayurvedic medication. Analysis of several of the agents revealed the presence of lead and the investigators were unable to identify other possible sources of lead exposure.
Although one patient was successfully treated without chelation therapy, this treatment was employed in most patients.
About 95% of lead poisonings in the US occur through occupational exposure, according to the report. "It's difficult to know exactly how big the problem of traditional medicine-related lead poisoning is," Dr. Pam Meyer, an epidemiologist with the lead branch of the CDC, told Reuters Health. "There could very well be more cases out there" than those identified in the current study.
Most of the patients in the study brought the medications into the US from India or elsewhere, "so they sort of fell through our regulatory system cracks," Dr. Meyer said.
"The public should be cautioned about using traditional medicines from other countries," she added. "I think you're probably safer if you take a US-made product."
MMWR 2004;53:582-584.