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Ayurvedic medicines again in US crosshairs
Ayurvedic medicines from India have once again come in for a sharp indictment from the US health authorities, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting lead poisoning in pregnant women who used these medicines from India.
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, which investigated six foreign-born pregnant women using 10 oral ayurvedic medications made in India, said it found high level of lead concentration in all the six, warning of serious health consequences for the mother and the child.
Following the finding, the department has ordered local businesses in New York City, essentially Indian and other South Asian stores, to stop the sale of these “contaminated products”.
This is not the first time that New York is cracking down on the sale of a host of ayurvedic medications. Back in 2005, the city authorities had banned the sale of three well-known ayurvedic medicines, saying they contained dangerous levels of lead or mercury.
Despite extensive efforts, lead poisoning still occurs in the United States, said the report released on Friday, noting: “Exposure to lead can damage the brain, kidneys, and nervous and reproductive systems. Fetal exposure to lead can adversely affect neurodevelopment, decrease fetal growth, and increase the
risk for premature birth and miscarriage.”
On the specific findings among the six cases taken up, the report said their blood lead levels (BLLs) ranged from 16 to 64 µg/dL. “Lead concentrations of the medications were as high as 2.4%; several medications also contained mercury or arsenic, which also can have adverse health effects.”
The department said it has distributed information about the medications to health-care providers, product manufacturers and government agencies in the US and abroad.
“Public health professionals should consider these types of products when investigating heavy metal exposures and raise awareness among health-care providers and the public regarding the health risks posed by such products,” the report said.
CDC said it recommends routine testing of pregnant women from “at-risk populations”, namely recent immigrants and women who use traditional remedies.
Giving details of the case-studies, the report said in one case, the pregnant woman, about 30 and born in India, had a BLL of 64 µg/dL during week 27 of pregnancy. “The woman took 1–2 capsules daily for 4 months of Pregnita, an Ayurvedic medication manufactured and purchased in India,” it said, noting that Pregnita was found to contain 1.2 per cent lead.
“The woman was hospitalised and received chelation therapy with calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. Her BLL decreased to 36 µg/dL 5 days after chelation and to 20 µg/dL 3 months later (2 weeks after delivering). Her newborn’s BLL was 23 µg/dL at 3 days after birth,” the report said.
In another case, a 24-year-old patient born in India had a BLL of 49 µg/dL reported during week 15 of pregnancy. She reportedly ingested two tablets of the Ayurvedic prenatal medication Garbhapal Ras daily to “keep her pregnancy and fetus healthy”.
Save for one Colombia-born woman, all the others tested were born in India.
The department’s report put out a list of 22 ayurvedic medications and other health remedies that have been identified with heavy metal content. Barring four, all the others are manufactured in India.
The prominent manufacturers of these medicines, who have been named in the report, include Baidyanath (Garbha Chintamani Ras, Kankayan Bati, Lakshmivilash Ras, Mahayogaraj Guggulu and Vatvidhwansan Ras); Vyas Pharmaceuticals (Garbha Daharak, Laxmana Loouh, Mahashakti Rasayan); Dabur (Vasant Kusumakar Ras), Shri Vishwamitra Ayurved Pharamceuticals (Garbhapal Ras); Unjha Ayurvedic Pharmacy (Jambrulin); Ban Labs India (Ovarin); Arya Aushadhi Pharamceutical Works (Maha Sudarshan); Charak Pharma (Pigmento); Ajmera Pharamaceuticals (Pregnita); and Research Drugs and Pharmaceuticals (Sorin).
Ayurvedic medicines from India have once again come in for a sharp indictment from the US health authorities, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting lead poisoning in pregnant women who used these medicines from India.
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, which investigated six foreign-born pregnant women using 10 oral ayurvedic medications made in India, said it found high level of lead concentration in all the six, warning of serious health consequences for the mother and the child.
Following the finding, the department has ordered local businesses in New York City, essentially Indian and other South Asian stores, to stop the sale of these “contaminated products”.
This is not the first time that New York is cracking down on the sale of a host of ayurvedic medications. Back in 2005, the city authorities had banned the sale of three well-known ayurvedic medicines, saying they contained dangerous levels of lead or mercury.
Despite extensive efforts, lead poisoning still occurs in the United States, said the report released on Friday, noting: “Exposure to lead can damage the brain, kidneys, and nervous and reproductive systems. Fetal exposure to lead can adversely affect neurodevelopment, decrease fetal growth, and increase the
risk for premature birth and miscarriage.”
On the specific findings among the six cases taken up, the report said their blood lead levels (BLLs) ranged from 16 to 64 µg/dL. “Lead concentrations of the medications were as high as 2.4%; several medications also contained mercury or arsenic, which also can have adverse health effects.”
The department said it has distributed information about the medications to health-care providers, product manufacturers and government agencies in the US and abroad.
“Public health professionals should consider these types of products when investigating heavy metal exposures and raise awareness among health-care providers and the public regarding the health risks posed by such products,” the report said.
CDC said it recommends routine testing of pregnant women from “at-risk populations”, namely recent immigrants and women who use traditional remedies.
Giving details of the case-studies, the report said in one case, the pregnant woman, about 30 and born in India, had a BLL of 64 µg/dL during week 27 of pregnancy. “The woman took 1–2 capsules daily for 4 months of Pregnita, an Ayurvedic medication manufactured and purchased in India,” it said, noting that Pregnita was found to contain 1.2 per cent lead.
“The woman was hospitalised and received chelation therapy with calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. Her BLL decreased to 36 µg/dL 5 days after chelation and to 20 µg/dL 3 months later (2 weeks after delivering). Her newborn’s BLL was 23 µg/dL at 3 days after birth,” the report said.
In another case, a 24-year-old patient born in India had a BLL of 49 µg/dL reported during week 15 of pregnancy. She reportedly ingested two tablets of the Ayurvedic prenatal medication Garbhapal Ras daily to “keep her pregnancy and fetus healthy”.
Save for one Colombia-born woman, all the others tested were born in India.
The department’s report put out a list of 22 ayurvedic medications and other health remedies that have been identified with heavy metal content. Barring four, all the others are manufactured in India.
The prominent manufacturers of these medicines, who have been named in the report, include Baidyanath (Garbha Chintamani Ras, Kankayan Bati, Lakshmivilash Ras, Mahayogaraj Guggulu and Vatvidhwansan Ras); Vyas Pharmaceuticals (Garbha Daharak, Laxmana Loouh, Mahashakti Rasayan); Dabur (Vasant Kusumakar Ras), Shri Vishwamitra Ayurved Pharamceuticals (Garbhapal Ras); Unjha Ayurvedic Pharmacy (Jambrulin); Ban Labs India (Ovarin); Arya Aushadhi Pharamceutical Works (Maha Sudarshan); Charak Pharma (Pigmento); Ajmera Pharamaceuticals (Pregnita); and Research Drugs and Pharmaceuticals (Sorin).
