Beware of 'herbal' medicines, warns ministry
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has issued a fresh alert against illegal dietary supplements and sexual stimulants.
The ministry received a safety alert from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) about the perils of some dietary supplements and aphrodisiacs that are supposedly made from "natural ingredients".
Dr Amin Hussain Al Amiri, assistant undersecretary for public policy and licensing, said the FDA has released a safety alert for 'Slyn both' and 'Perfect Slim Fast Track Slim', which are being promoted as herbal weight-loss products.
When tested by the FDA, both products were found to contain an undeclared substance called fluoxetine, which belongs to a string of drugs called SSRIs that are used to treat depression. This substance has dangerous side-effects like abetting suicide and abnormal bleeding.
When used with other drugs that are used to treat depression, anxiety and heart diseases, they may cause irregular heart beats and even sudden death.
Another weight-loss product, 'Spcaret Princess Diet', contains an undeclared substance called Sibutramine.
Also 'Super Herbs' was found to contain two undeclared substances: Desmethylsiburamine and sibutramine, which can cause high blood pressure, rapid heart beats, and stroke. These two products, the ministry said, pose danger to heart patients and are not registered with the MoH.
In another safety alert the ministry received, the FDA warned of other products promoted as natural sex stimulants. However, these products contain an undisclosed substance called Slidenfil, which can cause a sharp drop in blood pressure to a critical level. It could be extremely dangerous for patients with heart diseases and diabetes, and people with high fat level.
Meanwhile, the ministry of health has confirmed as incorrect the information about a herb named Qccinia being able to treat diabetic patients. The ministry announced this on Monday after it was noticed that people were sharing the information on social media networks.
Dr. Al Amiri, said the herb is not a substitute for medicines used by and prescribed for diabetes of both types A and B.
He added that patients should only take medicines prescribed by physicians.
reporters@khaleejtimes.com
MORE FROM Khaleej Times
Knowledge is the main gate for sustainable development and for... READ MORE
RTA is all set to use the near field communication (NFC) technology... READ MORE
Beach visitors and swimmers are advised to be cautious as the sea is... READ MORE
Air India's AI905 was the first flight to take off to the UAE after... READ MORE
Source: Beware of 'herbal' medicines, warns ministry
Comments
Post a Comment