Australia has joined the UK, USA and Canada in warning its citizens against using unapproved traditional medicines from India and China.

Its main worry is the metal content in these medicines.

The department of health in Australia wants the citizens to consider the possibility of contamination and adulteration before buying any herb or herbal medicine for personal use, especially over the Internet.

In its latest advisory in February, reported by the agency, showed higher lead levels in the blood after taking ayurvedic herbal medicines, dispensed from an Indian hospital. Stating that the man, who had taken the unidentified ayurvedic medicine for five months, was admitted to a hospital.

The agency said there were several possible explanations for the presence of heavy metals in traditional herbal remedies. “Salts of heavy metals (for example those of lead, mercury and arsenic) are used as principal ingredients in some traditional Indian and (to a lesser extent) Chinese herbal remedies. In addition, cross-contamination of ingredients can occur between these types of products and products not intended to contain metal salts if manufacturing conditions are not controlled,” the agency said.

Health Canada is known to be sensitive towards the lead content in ayurvedic medicines. The agency on its website has black-listed several ayurvedic products from India due to higher toxic metal content.

India’s stance on the issue has been that in Ayurvedic medicine, heavy metals may be used because of their reputed therapeutic properties.

However, improper manufacturing processes may result in dangerously high levels of heavy metals remaining in the final product.

Heavy metals pose a particular health risk because they may accumulate in vital organs. Children are most susceptible to the toxic effects of heavy metal poisoning. For example, arsenic poisoning can cause nausea, abdominal pain, vomiting, muscle cramps, heart abnormalities, liver damage, anaemia and reduced motor nerve function. Lead poisoning can cause weight loss, insomnia, dizziness, swelling of the brain and paralysis. Mercury poisoning can cause tremors, insomnia, memory loss, slowed sensory and motor nerve function, and reduced mental function.

The following is a list of the unapproved Ayurvedic medicinal products that has been found on the Canadian market which have been analyzed by Health Canada and found to contain high levels of lead, mercury and/or arsenic: