Ramil Adhikari
Wellington, April 7, 2024
New Zealand’s Ministry of Health (Te Whatu Ora) and the National Poisons Center have issued a warning to members of the Indian community about traditional Ayurvedic remedies after some users became seriously ill after consuming them. People are urged to take extreme caution before taking any Ayurvedic treatment.
In the past three months, eight adults of Indian descent across Auckland and the Bay of Plenty region have become extremely ill after taking Ayurvedic remedies, leading to lead poisoning, abdominal pain and constipation with nausea/vomiting. Some very unpleasant side effects occurred. .
Some patients were hospitalized multiple times, two of whom had high levels of lead detected in their blood. They were at risk of serious illness and death.
Thankfully, all patients recovered.
However, all reported receiving Ayurvedic treatment before falling ill. They said these products are taken for various reasons such as severe abdominal pain, infertility, impotence, and chronic pain.
products without labels
Identifying which Ayurvedic products may contain potentially dangerous ingredients is difficult given the wide variation between products and the need for further laboratory testing to identify harmful ingredients. And it’s difficult. However, be especially careful if these products are without packaging or labels, or if the manufacturer is unknown.
Among the samples tested so far and found to contain toxic levels of lead are three small round, flat tablets approximately 7 mm in diameter, colored black, dark gray, and dark brown. Ta. The tablets were unpackaged and unlabeled and were reportedly brought from India.
A recent sample received by Medsafe consists of small, spherical, dark brown ball-shaped tablets approximately 6mm to 7mm in diameter, and further testing is underway.
Therefore, health authorities are reminding anyone who may be using these products to use extreme caution and follow this public health advice.
Effects of lead poisoning
Lead poisoning can affect the nervous system and cause symptoms such as mood changes (such as depression or irritability), memory problems, sleep disturbances, headaches, and tingling or numbness in the fingers and hands.
Lead poisoning can also affect the stomach and intestines, causing symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, abdominal pain, and weight loss.
In later stages, symptoms affect the blood, kidneys, bones, heart, and reproductive system, and in extreme cases, death can occur.
24-hour support
Some Ayurvedic products may contain unknown or unidentified ingredients, so we recommend extreme caution when considering consuming these products.
If you or someone you know feels unwell after taking an Ayurvedic remedy, contact your doctor, pharmacist, or health care professional. You can always get help from our toll-free Healthline at 0800-611116.
The National Poisons Center provides advice 24/7 if you have known or suspected lead poisoning by calling 0800-764 766. In case of an emergency, visit your hospital emergency department or call 111 without delay.
Ramil Adhikari is the Principal Advisor (Equity and Community Engagement) in the New Zealand Ministry of Health’s National Public Health Outbreak Response Directorate. He has been a member of the New Zealand Public Health Association for the past eight years and has been president of its Wellington branch since 2019. He is multilingual (speaking English, Dutch, Nepali, Hindi, Punjabi, and Chinese), an accomplished multilingual, and a judge of the Court of Justice. The Peace is also a wedding celebrant, board member of KiwiClass and chairman of the Nepal Culture and Tourism Promotion Forum New Zealand. The above article was sent to us by Mr. Adhikari in his official capacity.
