Herbal Valium warning

A government watchdog has issued a statement warning the public of the dangers of taking unlicensed herbal medicines containing aconite.

Aconite, also known as monkshood, is an extremely poisonous plant which can be toxic to the heart. Any herbal products containing the ingredient could prove fatal or cause serious illness if taken.

Richard Woodfield, Head of Herbal Policy at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, said it was vital people did not confuse herbal medicines and homeopathic ones.

“Registered homeopathic products that contain aconite are considered acceptably safe as the active ingredient, aconite, is sufficiently diluted,” he said.

“Herbal medicines are made from plants and so can have a very significant effect on the body. In certain cases, such as with aconite, the medicine can be extremely potent.

“This is a classic case where ‘natural’ does not mean ‘safe’.”

The MHRA received two reports of suspected side effects caused by aconite. One person suffered kidney problems and another was admitted to hospital after suffering dizziness and paresthesia (numbness).

The warning has been issued after recent reports in the media of a celebrity who allegedly took "herbal valium" containing aconite to calm wedding nerves.

With unlicensed herbal medicines, people need to be aware that the standards vary widely and can be poor.

Registered and licensed herbal medicines can be identified by the Traditional Herbal Registration (THR) or the product licence (PL) number on the label.

Registered homeopathic products can also be identified by checking the label which should say ‘Homeopathic medicinal product without approved therapeutic indications’, as well as a homeopathic registration number prefixed with the letters HR.

This article was published on Tue 6 October 2009