Herbal Recalls in Hong Kong
On August 28, 2014, the Hong Kong Department of Health (DH)
issued a recall of four herbal medicines and one animal-based medicine, namely clematis
(Clematis spp., Ranunculaceae) root,
jujube (Ziziphus jujuba, Rhamnaceae) fruit, polygonatum
(Polygonatum spp., Liliaceae) rhizome,
sea horse (Hippocampus spp., Syngnathidae), and
codonopsis (Codonopsis pilosula, Campanulaceae) root,
due to contamination with the tropane alkaloid scopolamine. According to a
spokesperson of the DH, "Upstream tracking thus far has revealed that the
above five herbal medicines were supplied by the wholesale company Hang Wo
(Hong Kong, China). As a precautionary measure, Hang Wo was instructed to
recall all batches of the above five herbal medicines from consumers." The
problem was noticed after a 32-year-old woman developed symptoms and signs
compatible with tropane alkaloid poisoning on August 14. The DH spokesperson
further explained that consumption of scopolamine causes anticholinergic
symptoms like blurred vision, dry mouth, dizziness, and confusion.
In the
same letter, the DH pointed out that according to section 54 of the Public
Health and Municipal Services Ordinance (Cap 132), selling any drug intended
for human use but unfit for that purpose is liable to a maximum penalty of
$50,000 and six months' imprisonment. Upon completion of its investigation, the
DH will work with the Department of Justice for prosecution matters and will
also refer this case to the Chinese Medicine Council of Hong Kong for
consideration of possible disciplinary action.
Comment: Scopolamine is a tropane alkaloid that is found in
a number of plants from the Solanaceae family, such as jimson weed (Datura
stramonium), henbane (Hyoscyamus niger), belladonna (Atropa belladonna), and angel's trumpet (Brugmansia spp.). As evidenced by the above case
from the RASFF, poisoning with tropane alkaloid-containing materials has
remained a problem. Scopolamine is readily detected after separation by high-performance
liquid chromatography (HPLC) using an ultraviolet (UV) detector (UVmax
λ = 258 nm in methanol), or using a mass spectrometer in positive ion mode.
However, since it is not a compound expected to be a contaminant in routine
quality control of any of the affected materials supplied by Hang Wo,
scopolamine may have gone undetected (for example, in methods using UV
detection in the range between 300 and 400 nm) or been overlooked.
For more information: http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201408/28/P201408280601.htm
