'Ayurvedic' Medicines May Contain Lead, Mercury or Arsenic

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Ayurvedic Medicines May Contain Lead, Mercury or Arsenic

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=92180

About one in five ayurvedic medicine products purchased on the Internet

contain significant levels of lead, mercury or arsenic, a new study finds.

The researchers found that products manufactured in the United States were

even more likely to contain the metals than those made in India, where the

ayurvedic approach was first developed centuries ago.

Furthermore, 75 percent of the products containing lead, mercury or arsenic

advertised that they were manufactured using " Good Manufacturing Practices, "

which is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation meant to

ensure quality.

" We randomly purchased 193 traditional Indian (ayurvedic) medicine products

from the Internet. About 60 percent were from U.S. companies and 40 percent

from Indian companies. Twenty-one percent had significant levels of lead,

mercury and arsenic, " said the study's lead author, Dr. B. Saper, an

assistant professor of family medicine at Boston University School of

Medicine, and director of integrative medicine at Boston Medical Center. In

high levels, these metals can be toxic.

Results of the study are published in the Aug. 27 issue of the Journal of

the American Medical Association.

Ayurvedic medicine is an ancient Indian practice that combines the use of

numerous modalities, such as herbal medicine, massage and special diets, to

promote wellness and prevent illness, according to the U.S. National Center

for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

There are two common practices in ayurveda - either herbal medicine alone,

or herbal medicines combined with metals and gems, a practice known as rasa

shastra. In rasa shastra, herbs are combined with metals such as lead,

mercury, iron and zinc, and gems such as pearl. Those that practice this

type of ayurveda believe it is safe and therapeutic, according to the study.

Saper said that " many traditional Indian practitioners believe quite

strongly that if rasa shastra is done correctly, it is safe, " that he feels

these practices should be " seriously called into question. " Saper also said

that he doesn't believe anyone should deliberately ingest lead, mercury or

arsenic.

The current study included 193 products randomly selected and purchased over

the Internet. The researchers found that 20.7 percent contained metals. The

rate in U.S. manufactured products was 21.7 percent, and in Indian products,

it was 19.5 percent.

Not surprisingly, almost 41 percent of rasa shastra products had a greater

prevalence of metals, including high levels of lead and mercury. " Several

Indian-manufactured rasa shastra medicines could result in lead and/or

mercury ingestions 100 to 10,000 times greater than acceptable limits, " the

researchers wrote.

Seventy-five percent of the products claimed to be manufactured under Good

Manufacturing Practices.

Products made by members of the American Herbal Products Association (AHPA)

were less likely to contain metals, according to the study.

McGuffin, president of the AHPA, said, " It's not an accident that

AHPA members performed better. We've called our members attention to the

presence of heavy metals in plant materials. Lead is ubiquitous. It's in the

soil and in the plants. I don't think you can get these levels to zero, but

it is the manufacturers' responsibility to know the amount and to limit it. "

AHPA also recommends that its members don't manufacture rasa shastra

products.

Saper said that the FDA hasn't currently set a maximum level allowed for

lead, mercury and arsenic in dietary supplements, but he believes they

should.

McGuffin recommended buying products made by members of AHPA, because the

study found they were least likely to contain metals, and he said consumers

should call the makers of their medicines and " ask tough questions. " He said

if you call a company and ask what their limits are for lead, and the

representative says they don't know, that's a red flag.

SOURCES: B. Saper, M.D., M.P.H., assistant professor, family

medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, and director, integrative

medicine, Boston Medical Center, Mass.; McGuffin, president,

American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Md.; Aug. 27, 2008,

Journal of the American Medical Association