Public warned on consuming herbal products
DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 18 June) — Medical experts in Davao City have warned the public against consuming herbal products which may contain high levels of toxic substances that can cause irreversible damage to kidneys.
Dr. Vida Rose Acosta, in-charge of the Preventive Nephrology Program of the state-run Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), said during the Kapihan sa Philippine Information Agency (PIA) on Friday that herbal supplements, some of them commercially sold in the market, do not have enough scientific proof of their health benefits.
She said these supplements that usually come in the form of drinks or capsules, do not undergo an extensive study to determine if they are safe for consumption.
“There is not enough evidence to support the benefit of the herbal drink or mix or capsule, and there is not enough evidence to support that it is non-toxic. So we don’t know the toxicity profile,” she said.
She said doctors prescribe herbal drugs like sambong to treat illnesses as these are well-studied and undergo a meticulous process in its preparation while taking into consideration the environment where the herbs are planted to ensure that there are no contaminants like heavy metals or other toxic chemicals that could contaminate the plants.
Acosta added that nephrologists do not support consuming herbal supplements that do not undergo a formal process of removing the toxicity because this could endanger the safety of their patients.
She said taking unsafe herbal products may become a contributing factor to developing a kidney problem.
Dr. Maria Theresa Bad-ang, past president of the Philippine Society of Nephrology Mindanao, added that there are herbs approved by the Food and Drug Administration as food but not as drugs.
“When they are approved as drugs, they have to pass clinical trials… Other drugs don’t have clinical trials. So, you have to always ask if they undergo clinical trials and at what stage,” she said.
She explained clinical trials involve three phases: phase 1 is conducted to determine if the drug is generally safe for humans; phase 2 to determine if the drug works; and phase 3 to know the side effects.
“If it’s not a drug, why do you take it when, in fact, when you take it, you will have more toxins in your kidneys which may manifest after five years?” she said.
According to the FDA, Republic Act No. 9711, otherwise known as the “Food and Drug Administration Act of 2009” prohibits the “manufacture, importation, exportation, sale, offering for sale, distribution, transfer, non-consumer use, promotion, advertising or sponsorship of health products without the proper authorization is prohibited.”
It said unregistered herbal products may pose “health risks to consumers.”
According to the Department of Health, chronic kidney disease is the fourth leading cause of death in the country.
Bad-ang added that kidney disease may be classified as hereditary or metabolic.
She said that according to data from PhilHealth, there are about 90,000 patients on dialysis each year in the country.
In the city, she said there is an estimated 2,400 patients on dialysis annually. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
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