Caution needed in using dietary aids<\/p>\n
By I. Christianto and Bruce Emond<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): In their bid for better health, many people are
\ntaking dietary aids and sports supplements commonly found in
\nstores and advertised on TV.<\/p>\n
They may feel comforted by the \"all-natural\" claims of some of
\nthe products, but doctors warn that several herbs must be used
\nwith caution.<\/p>\n
A U.S. study released last week said that some common herbal
\nremedies -- such as garlic, echinacea and ginseng -- might cause
\nserious complications, including internal bleeding and low blood
\nsugar, for patients undergoing operations.<\/p>\n
It advised doctors to know a patient's complete history of
\nherbal medicines before booking them in for operations.<\/p>\n
\"John\", who has taken echinacea to ward off cold sores and St.
\nJohn's Wort, touted as \"nature's antidepressant\", once
\nexperienced an adverse reaction to another herbal supplement.<\/p>\n
\"I was staying at a friend's house and decided to try
\nvalerian, which the label said was good for creating a feeling of
\ncalmness,\" the 30-something expatriate said.<\/p>\n
\"Instead, I felt nauseous, woozy and I broke out in a cold
\nsweat.\"<\/p>\n
One herbal medicine, a type of dry shrub called mahuang,
\nbetter known as the chemically synthesized ephedra, has been
\nattracting a lot of attention.<\/p>\n
In its crystalline alkaloid form of ephedrine it has
\ntraditionally been used for relief of hay fever, asthma and nasal
\ncongestion. Now it is being used to aid in weight loss, and drugs
\ncontaining ephedra are easy to find in health supplement stores
\nin major cities across the country.<\/p>\n
Some health experts contend that its prolonged use or overdose
\nappears linked to cases of heart attack, stroke, high blood
\npressure and other dangerous side effects. Some women in the
\nUnited States have reported psychotic episodes after using
\nephedra.<\/p>\n
Others argue that the criticism of ephedra is unjustified and
\nthat it can be used safely as long as it is carefully prescribed.<\/p>\n
A shinshe (Chinese healer) and acupuncturist Djiauw Wie Yung,
\nwho practices in Glodok, Jakarta's Chinatown, said that the
\namounts of ephedrine alkaloids varied in different species of
\nmahuang.<\/p>\n
Djiauw said the ancient Chinese used mahuang to relieve
\nsymptoms of cold, influenza, asthma and allergies.<\/p>\n
\"Mahuang is actually only a small part of a mixed herbal
\nmedicine,\" he said, adding that the recommended dose of the herb
\nwas 10 milligrams in each medicine.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged a common side effect of too much ephedrine was
\nhypertension, but believed that most of the reported health
\nproblems were probably due to using the synthetic form.<\/p>\n
Many Chinese drugstores in Glodok offer mahuang but there is
\nusually a shinshe on site to prescribe what they need.<\/p>\n
Visitors meet with the shinshe, who decides what herbs and
\nroots are necessary to cure their condition and prepares a
\nprescription. The patient is not obliged to buy the medicine at
\nthe drugstore but usually does.<\/p>\n
However, people do not have to have a prescription from a
\nshinshe to buy the herb. One woman assistant at a Glodok
\ndrugstore said people often came in to request mahuang or ephedra
\nbut she did not ask them what they wanted it for.<\/p>\n
Amphetamine<\/p>\n
The chairman of the Foundation to Empower Indonesian Health
\nConsumers, Marius Widjajarta, said dietary pills usually contain
\nephedrine as the substance can easily alter into amphetamine,
\nwhich increases energy while acting as an appetite suppressant.<\/p>\n
\"Ephedrine should be used very carefully as it has a negative
\neffect if there's no supervision by a physician. Although
\nephedrine is not categorized as a psychotropic substance, its
\nbasic structure formula easily changes into a psychotropic
\nsubstance.\"<\/p>\n
He warned that in this form the substance could be addictive.<\/p>\n
There is no regulation from the Food and Drug Control Agency
\n(BPOM) on the recommended dose for ephedrine in either Chinese
\nmedicine or dietary aids and sport supplements.<\/p>\n
BPOM's information center does not have any information
\nrelated to pharmaceutical products sold in Indonesia which
\ncontain ephedrine.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, it may be yet another case of the country
\nlagging behind other nations in anticipating possible medicinal
\nhazards to its citizens. The government was faulted several
\nmonths ago for dragging its feet in deciding on the permitted
\ncontent of phenylpropanolamine (PPA), which has been linked to
\nstroke when taken in large doses in flu and cough medicines.<\/p>\n
So far, instead of setting out to fulfill its mandate to
\nprotect consumers, BPOM appears to take action only when there
\nare claims from other parties about drugs or foods which pose a
\npotential hazard to humans.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/caution-needed-in-using-dietary-aids-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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