N B

How to read a potentially toxic multiherbal supplement even when modern medicine doctors fail at reading them for you? Modern medicine practitioners are prescribing this proprietary Ayurvedic multiherbal cough syrup far too much - and its shameful. Firstly, this is a proprietary product - meaning, the company has made it according to their arbitary thoughts on combinations of herbs that may or may not work without scientific rationale or actual product testing. This is not classical/traditional Ayurveda, but a product made on whims and fancies of the manufacturer. Two, the product indication is misleading - "all purpose formula for all types of cough." - fools. There can never be one single way to reduce or treat ALL types of cough - a cough can be a benign symptom of a passing seasonal flu or can be a signficant lung or heart disease or primary or metastatic cancer. The duration of the symptom divides cough into acute (less than 3 weeks), subacute (3–8 weeks), and chronic (greater than 8 weeks) and treatments are aimed at CAUSE for the cough and not cough per say. See here: binasss.sa.cr/medintmarzo/AR… Three, this product is multiherbal in nature - meaning, in the absence of safety data for use, there is high risk of developing organ damage due to presence of certain known herbal toxins in this product. The manufacturer has made no such disclosures on the product that would ideally help people be well-informed before taking a decision whether to use the product or not. Toxic herbs in the product: 1. Cassia occidentalis (or Coffee Senna) - The product uses seeds of Kasmard (or Cassia occidentalis). Signs of Cassia occidentalis seeds poisoning in general include imbalance, muscle weakness, incoordination, stubbing, and body weight loss, eventually leading to death. Certain types of anthraquinones and their derivatives emodin, glycosides, toxallauminus and other alkaloids were among the compounds blamed for the toxicity of Cassia occidentalis. They mainly affect skeletal muscles, liver, kidney, and heart. See here: nopr.niscpr.res.in/bitstream… 2. Curcuma longa (or turmeric, haldi) - Turmeric, along with pepper (also seen in the product) or piperine to increase its absorption is now one of most common upcoming causes for severe liver injury and liver failure sometimes leading to death or liver transplantation. The Italian Govt has banned turmeric-based dietary supplements and given them "black box" warning. The Australian Govt has warned the public on using turmeric supplements and cautioned, due to liver damaging effects and the UK Govt has warmed people of high risk of hepatitis with consumption of turmeric based supplements. See here amjmed.com/article/S0002-934…, here cot.food.gov.uk/sites/defaul… here nutraingredients.com/Article… and here tga.gov.au/news/safety-alert… 3. Glycyrrhiza glabra or licorice: Licorice ingestion/toxicity causes tachy-brady arrhythmias (heart rate problems), fatal arrhythmias (heart rhythmn problems, possibly due to hypokalemia), and cardiomyopathy (heart muscle damage). Imagine if this product is given to a patient whose cough is due to underlying heart disease, then it could turn catastrophic. See here sciencedirect.com/topics/neu… and here pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/2883… There are no safety data available from human studies on the other herbal components in this product. Summary: If modern medicine doctors are prescribing untested, unregulated, multiherbal [Ayurvedic/Sidda or proprietary] products - then the best option is to change your doctor after dumping the product in the nearest available garbage bin. Be well-informed about supplements you are prescribed or take. It may help avoid a catastrophe.