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Title: Safety concerns of herbal products and traditional Chinese herbal medicines: Dehydopyrrolizidine alkaloids and aristolochic acid

Author
item Stegelmeier, Bryan
item BROWN, AMMON - Us Army Research
item Welch, Kevin

Submitted to: Journal of Applied Toxicology
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/8/2015
Publication Date: 7/8/2015
Citation: Stegelmeier, B.L., Brown, A., Welch, K.D. 2015. Safety concerns of herbal products and traditional Chinese herbal medicines: Dehydopyrrolizidine alkaloids and aristolochic acid. Journal of Applied Toxicology. doi: 10.1002/jat.3192.

Interpretive Summary: In many countries, including the United States, herbal supplements, tisanes and vegetable products including traditional Chinese medicines are largely unregulated and their content is not registered, monitored or verified. Consequently potent plant toxins including dehydopyrrolizidine alkaloids and other potential carcinogens can contaminate these products. As producers are left to their own means to determine the safety and purity of their products prior to marketing, the good marketing practices currently in place are ignored and content is largely undocumented. Historical examples of poisoning and health issues relating to plant material containing dehydopyrrolizidine alkaloids and aristolochic acids were used as examples to demonstrate the risk and potential toxicity of herbal products, food supplements, or traditional medicines if they are included. More work is needed to educate consumers of the potential risk and require the industry to be more responsible to verify content and insure the safety of their products.

Technical Abstract: In many countries, including the United States, herbal supplements, tisanes and vegetable products including traditional Chinese medicines are largely unregulated and their content is not registered, monitored or verified. Consequently potent plant toxins including dehydopyrrolizidine alkaloids and other potential carcinogens can contaminate these products. As producers are left to their own means to determine the safety and purity of their products prior to marketing, the good marketing practices currently in place are ignored and content is largely undocumented. Historical examples of poisoning and health issues relating to plant material containing dehydopyrrolizidine alkaloids and aristolochic acids were used as examples to demonstrate the risk and potential toxicity of herbal products, food supplements, or traditional medicines if they are included. More work is needed to educate consumers of the potential risk and require the industry to be more responsible to verify content and insure the safety of their products.