'Danger chemicals' in slimming herbs

Herbal ingredients are used in many Chinese medicines

There are more safety fears over Chinese herbal medicines after potentially toxic substances were found in a slimming remedy.

Two people had to be treated for severe side-effects after taking a cocktail of remedies.

The Medicines Control Agency - which supervises drug safety in the UK - is investigating the claims, which are detailed in the British Medical Journal.

The police have also launched an inquiry, arresting a man, although there have been no charges so far.

Blood pressure problems

Doctors from Southend Hospital in Essex say they found traces of a banned slimming drug both in the urine of patients who had been taking a herbal preparation, and the herbal mix itself.

The drug, called Fenfluramine, has been banned in many developed countries for five years because it can cause very high blood pressure in some patients.

The public's trend to believe, often with great naivety, in natural remedies, can be abused

Letter to British Medical Journal

If proven, this would be only the latest in a long line of incidents in which Chinese herbal remedies have been found to contain potentially harmful substances.

The doctors were alerted after a 44-year-old woman was referred to them suffering from high blood pressure, palpitations and anxiety.

They wrote: "It became apparent that an alarming number of the local population had been attending a particular Chinese herbalist for weight loss remedies.

"Most had been taking multiple preparations - as many as nine - and described 'spectacular' results."

Crackdown launched

Some of these had suffered what they described as "considerable" cardiovascular symptoms, but said they were reassured because of their belief that the natural origin of Chinese products meant they were completely safe.

Biochemists tested two "slimming" remedies, Qian Er and Ma zin dol, and found a high concentration of the banned drug.

It was also found in the urine of both the 44-year-old, and a second woman, a student nurse, who had to be admitted to hospital after taking the herbs.

The doctors wrote: "Our recent experience highlights how the public's trend to believe, often with great naivety, in natural remedies can be abused."

Currently, herbal medicines are not regulated in the same way as pharmaceutical drugs, even though they can contain chemicals every bit as powerful as prescription medicines.

However, the MCA has launched a crackdown on certain Chinese medicines after some were found to contain a particular herb associated with kidney damage and cancer.

Other checks by the agency have revealed preparations containing mercury, arsenic, and prescription-only steroids.

A spokesman said: "We can confirm that, following a joint visit by police officers and the MCA an arrest was made and a number of items seized."