Ministry of Health bans herbal products

Iman Abdullah Al Ali, Staff Reporter

DUBAI: The Ministry of Health and Community Protection has issued  a circular banning six herbal products being sold on websites.

The products damaged the liver as they contained the herbal substance “fallopia multiflora”, according to Dr Ameen Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary of Public Health Policy and Licences.

The circular instructed the withdrawal of four products manufactured by Herbal International pty ltd. after the Ministry received a warning from the Australian Consumer Protection Agency to withdraw the products that were used to treat anxiety and depression, high blood pressure, weight loss, kidney, liver and circulatory reinforcement.

The ministry issued another circular warning against the use of two herbal products. One is “Shui An capsules” because its packet did not have the phrase “must be used under medical supervision”, besides the fact that they caused liver damage. One of the two products is used to strengthen blood circulation and the other to treat hair loss.

Another circular instructed the withdrawal of one batch of “Fluorouracil 500mg / 10ml inj”, used to treat cancer, with number 6119815.  Several complaints were received  about the quality of the product where the complainants reported a white deposit in the solution, given intravenously.

The definition card of the product does not contain complete information on how to deal with the problem in case it happens, in addition to that it is not registered with the ministry.

The ministry also issued a circular to withdraw two batches of “Cupisone syrup lot no: 0001 & 0002”, used to treat arthritis, immune system disorders and asthma.

The results of a laboratory analysis showed the percentage of preservative less than the permissible limit.

Public and private health professionals were instructed not to use the two batches, stop selling them in pharmacies and return them to the supplier.