Metal Content in Ayurvedic Medicines
- Jun J. Mao, MD, MSCE jun.mao@uphs.upenn.eduDepartment of Family Medicine and Community HealthUniversity of Pennsylvania School of MedicinePhiladelphia;
- Krupali Desai, MD (Ayurveda)Thomas Jefferson UniversityPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text.
- KEYWORDS:
- COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIES
- DRUG TOXICITY
- INDIA
- LEAD POISONING
- MEDICINE, AYURVEDIC
- METALS, HEAVY
- POISONING
- PUBLIC HEALTH
- UNITED STATES
- WORLD HEALTH
To the Editor: Dr Saper and colleagues1 found that approximately 20% of Ayurvedic products sold over the Internet contained heavy metals, and the metal content was higher among a subgroup of products classified as rasa shastra. Although the efforts to establish that metal content in these products may potentially present a public health hazard are important, we caution against their policy conclusion: “We suggest strictly enforced, government-mandated daily dose limits for toxic metals in all dietary supplements and requirements that all manufacturers demonstrate compliance through independent third-party testing.”
Metals used in authentic Ayurvedic medicines go through a process of conversion of metals into their mixed oxides that may destroy their toxicity and induce their medicinal properties.2 Further research is necessary to evaluate whether the medicines studied by Saper et al contain elevated metal content or are harmful when properly prepared and administered. If 20% of authentic Ayurvedic …
