Nine herbs that the Food and Drug Administration has said are
associated with serious adverse reactions or possible hazards.
-- Chaparral. Linked to six North American cases of liver
inflammation, one requiring a transplant. No contamination or
mechanism for harm has been found, but in December 1992, the American
Herbal Products Association asked that chaparral for internal
use be withdrawn from the market. Has been promoted as a ``blood
purifier,'' cancer cure and acne treatment, the FDA says.
-- Comfrey. Since 1985, at least seven cases of liver
complications have been reported in users. In March 1992, the
American Herbal Products Association recommended discontinuing
internal use. Comfrey stimulates cell growth and is used for wound
healing but it contains compounds toxic to the liver when taken
internally.
-- Yohimbe. Produces adverse reactions when consumed with
certain foods -- liver, cheese and red wine. Kidney failure, seizures
and death have been reported in users. Dilates blood vessels and
is valued as an aphrodisiac. Not readily available in the United
States, herbalists say.
-- Lobelia. Has been linked to adverse reactions when
used as a dietary supplement; high doses can suppress breathing,
cause sweating, speed the heart, lower blood pressure and even
lead to coma or death, the FDA says. Used to ease breathing in
people with pneumonia, bronchitis and asthma. The plant is also
the source of lobeline, a nicotine-like ingredient in some over-the-counter
smoking deterrents, including CigArrest tablets.
-- Germander. At least 27 cases of liver inflammation,
including one death, were linked with germander in France, which
banned it from drugs. Is used as a weight-loss aid. Not generally
available in the United States, herbalists say.
-- Willow bark. Like aspirin, contains salicylates, which
could produce the same adverse reactions as aspirin, ranging from
stomach irritation to Reye syndrome in youngsters with influenza
or chicken pox, the FDA says. Is promoted as an ``aspirin-free''
pain reliever, but no adverse effects have been reported.
-- Jin Bu Huan. A Chinese patent medicine, literally ``more
valuable than gold,'' that came to the FDA's attention after three
Colorado children got into an adult's bottle of it and took massive
overdoses, resulting in severe sedation that required medical
treatment. Is marketed as a sedative and pain reliever. At least
three cases of liver inflammation associated with it have been
reported in California.
-- Stephania and Magnolia. A Chinese herbal preparation
containing Stephania and Magnolia that was sold as a weight-loss
treatment in Belgium has been implicated in severe kidney injury
to at least 48 women; at least 18 developed kidney failure requiring
transplants or dialysis, the FDA says.
-- Ma huang. Products containing Ma huang have been associated with high blood pressure, rapid heart rate, nerve damage, muscle injury, psychosis, stroke and memory loss; Ma huang is sold in products for weight control and enhanced energy, often combined with caffeine, which boosts the effect, the FDA says. Used in China for more than five centuries to treat asthma and hay fever. Contains ingredients from the plant family Ephedra, which also yields pseudoephedrine, the active ingredient in decongestants such as Sudafed.
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HepC BC 
Pneumonitis during Interferon
and/or Herbal Drug Therapy in Patients with Chronic Active Hepatitis.
Ishizaki T.; Sasaki, F.; Ameshima, S.; Shiozaki, K.; Takahashi,
H.; Abe, Y.; Ito, S.; Kuriyama, M.; Nakai, T.; Kitagawa, M. "Pneumonitis
during Interferon and/or Herbal Drug Therapy in Patients with
Chronic Active Hepatitis." European Respiratory Journal,
December 1996;9(12):2691-2696.
According to the authors' abstract of an article published in
European Respiratory Journal, "We report four cases of acute
pneumonitis due either to interferon, or a herbal drug, 'Sho-saikoto',
or both in combination, in patients with chronic active hepatitis,
focusing on its pathogenesis and response to prednisolone therapy.
These cases shared common clinical features: fever, dry cough,
dyspnoea. hyperaemia. diffuse infiltrates both on chest radiography
and chest computed tomography, restrictive pulmonary functional
impairment, and alveolitis on examination of transbronchial lung
biopsy, all of which suggest acute interstitial pneumonia. Furthermore,
lymphocytosis was observed in association with the dominant CD8[+]
T-cell subset in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. A lymphocyte stimulation
test using peripheral blood was positive to interferon in one
case and to Sho-saikoto in another. All patients responded to
oral prednisolone therapy. Peripheral soluble interleukin-2 receptor
levels decreased in parallel with improvement in the clinical
course. All patients were free of symptoms with a follow-up of
1-3 yrs. We conclude that interferon- and/or Sho-saikoto-induced
acute pneumonitis may be due to allergic-immunological mechanisms
rather than toxicity, and that peripheral levels of soluble interleukin-2
receptor appear to be good markers of disease activity."
The corresponding author for this study is: T Ishizaki, Fukui
Med Sch, Dept Internal Med, Matsuoka. Fukui 9101 I, Japan. For
subscription information for this journal contact the publisher.
Munksgaard Int Publ Ltd, 35 Norre Sogade, PO Box 2148, DK-1016
Copenhagen, Denmark.
Source: Hepatitis Weekly, 01/27/97, p20, 2/5p.
Item Number: 9702092873
HepC BC