The American Journal of Medicine
Volume 122, Issue 3 , Pages 236-238 , March 2009

Caveat Emptor

  • Nadeen Hosein, MD, MS

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationRequests for reprints should be addressed to Nadeen Hosein, MD, MS, Postdoctoral Fellow, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Johns Hopkins Hospital, 1830 East Monument St, Suite 333, Baltimore, MD 21287
    • ,
  • Todd Brown, MD, PhD

References 

  1. Gardiner P, Graham R, Legedza AT, et al. Factors associated with herbal therapy use by adults in the United States. Altern Ther Health Med. 2007;13:22–29
  2. Angell M, Kassirer JP. Alternative medicine—the risks of untested and unregulated remedies. N Engl J Med. 1998;339:839–841
  3. Haller CA, Benowitz NL. Adverse cardiovascular and central nervous system events associated with dietary supplements containing ephedra alkaloids. N Engl J Med. 2000;343:1833–1838
  4. Lüde S, Török M, Dieterle S, et al. Hepatocellular toxicity of kava leaf and root extracts. Phytomedicine. 2008;15:120–131
  5. Henderson L, Yue QY, Bergquist C, et al. St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum): drug interactions and clinical outcomes. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2002;54:349–356
  6. California Department of Health Services. State Health Director Warns Consumers About Prescription Drugs in Herbal Products. http://www.applications.dhs.ca.gov/pressreleases/store/pressreleases/02-03.htmlAccessed November 21, 2008
  7. Cole MR, Fetrow CW. Adulteration of dietary supplements. Am J Health-Syst Pharm. 2003;60:1576–1580
  8. Huang WF, Wen KC, Hsiao ML. Adulteration by synthetic therapeutic substances of traditional Chinese medicines in Taiwan. J Clin Pharmacol. 1997;37:344–350
  9. Ko RJ. Adulterants in Asian patent medicines. N Engl J Med. 1998;339:847
  10. Goldman JA, Myerson G. Chinese herbal medicine: camouflaged prescription anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, and lead. Arthritis Rheum. 1991;34:1207
  11. Oldenburg-Ligtenberg PC, van der Westerlaken MM. A woman with Cushing's syndrome after use of an Indonesian herb: a case report. Neth J Med. 2007;65:150–152
  12. Edwards CJ, Lian TY, Chng HH. Cushing's syndrome caused by treatment of gout with traditional Chinese medicine. QJM. 2002;95:705–708
  13. 103rd Congress (Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994, Public Law 103-417). http://www.fda.gov/opacom/laws/dshea.htmlAccessed November 21, 2008
  14. United States Food and Drug Administration. Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994. http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/∼dms/dietsupp.htmlAccessed November 21, 2008

 Charles M. Wiener, MD, Section Editor

 Funding: None.

 Conflict of Interest: Neither of the authors, Nadeen Hosein or Todd Brown, bears any conflict of interest regarding the preparation of this manuscript or the patient described herein.

 Authorship: Both authors had access to the data and played a role in writing the manuscript.

PII: S0002-9343(08)01252-7

doi: 10.1016/j.amjmed.2008.11.017

The American Journal of Medicine
Volume 122, Issue 3 , Pages 236-238 , March 2009

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