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Vigilance urged against medicines containing aconite herbs
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    The Department of Health issued a letter today (June 14) to all Chinese medicine practitioners and traders to alert them to four possible cases of poisoning, stemming from the contamination of herbal medicines by aconite herbs.  

     A spokesman for the department said they were reminded to be vigilant against contamination or substitution of herbs in the process of purchase, distribution, storage and dispensation.

     "They should also observe the relevant requirements and procedures set out in the practising guidelines for Chinese medicine retailers and wholesalers," he said.

     The spokesman said symptoms and signs of aconitine poisoning included numbness of the mouth and limbs, nausea and vomiting, weakness of the limbs, breathing difficulty and cardiac arrhythmias.  

     "Members of the public are advised to seek medical attention promptly if they develop adverse reactions after taking medicines," he added.

     Since April 2004, the department has received four notifications of adverse events involving aconitine poisoning. Subsequent enquiries revealed that the aconite herb was not listed in the prescriptions concerned.  

     "The four patients recovered after treatment in hospital. Examination of the unused herbs submitted by the patients and the samples obtained from the retailers concerned did not reveal contamination with aconite herbs. The cause and origin of contamination were therefore undetermined," he said.

     Aconitine, a kind of plant consitituent, was found in a number of herbs which mainly include Radix Aconiti Brachypodi or Radix Aconiti Szechenyiani, and the raw and processed forms of:

* Radix Aconiti Coreani,
* Radix Aconiti,
* Radix Aconiti Lateralis, and
* Radix Aconiti Kusnezoffii

     The spokesman said it was important that the herbs containing aconitine were used under prescription and, when used internally, adequately boiled to prevent intoxication.

     The department's letter to the Chinese medicine practitioners and traders can be found on the website of the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong (http://www.cmchk.org.hk/).

     The department had put in place a notification system for adverse events related to Chinese medicines. Doctors and Chinese medicine practitioners are encouraged to report all suspected cases to the department. The reporting form can be downloaded at http://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/hpf-form3-tc-2004052100.pdf.

Ends/Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Issued at HKT 18:01

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