Arthritis - Ayurvedic woes raise new questions about drug agency oversight

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Ayurvedic woes raise new questions about drug agency oversight

danger@alert.com

2004-10-03, 7:08 pm

Heavy metals in traditional Indian remedies.
Ernst E.
Department of Complementary Medicine, School of Postgraduate
Medicine and Health Sciences, university of Exeter, UK.
The growing popularity of traditional Indian remedies
necessitates a critical evaluation of risks associated with
their use. This systematic review aims at summarising all
available data relating to the heavy metal content in such
remedies. Computerised literature searches were carried out to
identify all articles with original data on this subject.
Fifteen case reports and six case series were found. Their
collective results suggest that heavy metals, particularly
lead, have been a regular constituent of traditional Indian
remedies. This has repeatedly caused serious harm to patients
taking such remedies. The incidence of heavy metal
contamination is not known, but one study shows that 64% of
samples collected in India contained significant amounts of
lead (64% mercury, 41% arsenic and 9% cadmium). These findings
should alert us to the possibility of heavy metal content in
traditional Indian remedies and motivate us to consider means
of protecting consumers from such risks.

Balwant Dixit

2004-10-04, 2:06 am

Most of the Ayurvedic medicines are prepared by the methods that
were established hundreds of years ago. The same methods are even used
today. These methods have poor quality control, and those who
manufacture these medications are not using tests that can easily detect
presence of heavy metals and other toxic substances. It would be
appropriate for the Western countries to ban the importation of these
"so called medications", most of which have never been tested clinically
in statistically validated human patient trials for their
effectiveness. ......Balwant N. Dixit, Professor of Pharmacology,
University of Pittsburgh

pund kamath

2004-10-05, 11:06 am

Balwant Dixit <bdixit@pitt.edu> wrote in message
....
It would be appropriate for the Western countries to ban the
importation of these
> "so called medications", most of which have never been tested clinically
> in statistically validated human patient trials for their
> effectiveness. ......Balwant N. Dixit, Professor of Pharmacology,
> university of Pittsburgh..
I wholeheartedly agree with you. Since powerful lobbies in USA
succeeded in putting herbal medicines under the juridiction of food
category and not under FDA, anybody can label anything on earth and
sell as herbal medication. This all happened under great leader Ronald
Reagan.
Unfortunately adulteration, absence of Quality control happens even in
Canada in basement-laboratories. Often these 'drugs' have absolutely
nothing in them except misleading claims. So it is good idea to ban
them or bring them under some sort of FDA agency.

One more question for you here.
If you are really the professor of Pharmacology,University of
Pittsburgh where and why do you get the time to read all the crap and
rubbish that is posted in these Soc.Indian.culture Ng?. Is it not a
waste your time?

bdixit

2004-10-05, 7:06 pm

I am a professor of pharmacology for real. I have been at the
University of Pittsburgh for more than 40 yr. teaching pharmacology and
other related areas. I have interest in various medicinal systems such
as Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, Egyptian medicine, Medieval Humoral
system of medicine etc. We had a fairly large research program one time
in which many plant based medicines from various areas of the world were
investigated from chemical and pharmacological points of views. That
research is no longer active for various reasons. So I keep up with the
literature on this topic as well as on other topics of interest in
pharmacology. I am particularly concerned with the introduction of
several Ayurvedic medicines as "nutritional supplements" into American
market by those who want to cash in on outlandish claims hope that
answers your question. ......Balwant Dixit

Harvey R. Stone

2004-10-06, 2:06 am

Thank you for your input and effort to keep people informed about what is
taking place.
Harv
"bdixit" <bdixit@pitt.edu> wrote in message
news:4162D8B9.2272FA3E@pitt.edu...
> I am a professor of pharmacology for real. I have been at the
> university of Pittsburgh for more than 40 yr. teaching pharmacology and
> other related areas. I have interest in various medicinal systems such
> as Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, Egyptian medicine, Medieval Humoral
> system of medicine etc. We had a fairly large research program one time
> in which many plant based medicines from various areas of the world were
> investigated from chemical and pharmacological points of views. That
> research is no longer active for various reasons. So I keep up with the
> literature on this topic as well as on other topics of interest in
> pharmacology. I am particularly concerned with the introduction of
> several Ayurvedic medicines as "nutritional supplements" into American
> market by those who want to cash in on outlandish claims hope that
> answers your question. ......Balwant Dixit
>

pund kamath

2004-10-06, 11:06 am

bdixit <bdixit@pitt.edu> wrote in message news:<4162D8B9.2272FA3E@pitt.edu>...
> I am a professor of pharmacology for real
....
I don't doubt your qualifications Professor Sahib.

There have been wonderful and very effective Aurvedic herbal medicine
and their application in my younger days. I remember a medication that
was derived from some Aurvedic plants is an example. that was very
effective as mood stabilizer without any side effects. No body has
ever heard of it nowadays. Now the new practioners are not trained in
methodical observation, collection of data, correlation of dosage,
even identification of plants etc. In other words the proper rsearch
mind-set and methodology etc are simply not taught nor imbued in
medical rsearchers or practioners! . It is sad.

Factories are set in wilderness in Karnataka for instance where they
pack 'stuff' in shiny bottles claiming all sort of beneficial cures.
It is the profit that matters.

So I wish you all the best in educating the public and society in
their awareness here in N>America as well as in Hindustan.

harmony

2004-10-07, 2:06 am

"bdixit" <bdixit@pitt.edu> wrote in message
news:4162D8B9.2272FA3E@pitt.edu...
> I am a professor of pharmacology for real. I have been at the
> university of Pittsburgh for more than 40 yr. teaching pharmacology and
> other related areas. I have interest in various medicinal systems such
> as Ayurveda, Chinese medicine, Egyptian medicine, Medieval Humoral
> system of medicine etc. We had a fairly large research program one time
> in which many plant based medicines from various areas of the world were
> investigated from chemical and pharmacological points of views. That
> research is no longer active for various reasons. So I keep up with the
> literature on this topic as well as on other topics of interest in
> pharmacology.

so, you are not a researcher, right? only a reader, right?

> I am particularly concerned with the introduction of
> several Ayurvedic medicines as "nutritional supplements" into American
> market by those who want to cash in on outlandish claims hope that
> answers your question.

give us specifics of ayurvedic medicines of your concern that affect the
american market. (not the indian market). pls don't post links of long
articles; give us excerpts from your sources that trouble you.

(i am fully aware of allegations made against chinese medicine imports.)

......Balwant Dixit
>

Dr. Jai Maharaj

2004-10-07, 2:06 am

In article <10m87dfcegbbn77@corp.supernews.com>,
"harmony" <aka@hotmail.com> posted:
>
> "bdixit" <bdixit@pitt.edu> wrote in message
> news:4162D8B9.2272FA3E@pitt.edu...
>
> so, you are not a researcher, right? only a reader, right?

This Dixit guy has had no training in Ayurved. He is not
a scientific person because he publishes conclusions about
something without studying it.

[vbcol=seagreen]
> give us specifics of ayurvedic medicines of your concern that affect the
> american market. (not the indian market). pls don't post links of long
> articles; give us excerpts from your sources that trouble you.
>
> (i am fully aware of allegations made against chinese medicine imports.)

I don't think that Dixit realizes that numerous western
medicines have inflicted great harm on the American population,
and that many have been recalled. Also, he doesn't seem to know
that even western medicines -- about 70-80 percent of them -- are
also based on herbs and plants.

Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti

puppet@watch.com

2004-10-07, 2:06 am

Don't you love it when jay stevens,aka dr. jai etc., has a "serious and
thoughtful" interaction with his soc puppet harmony? Jay wants to assume
the serious observer and allows harmony to do the grunt work of the
personal attack and mud slinging, then jay can come and "explain" with
dispassion the real core of the question. Jay was roundly rebuked by a
university researcher and feels acutely the sting of his loss of face
still, thus the sock puppet conversation to explain to his presumed vast
audience why he suffered the rebuke. A real jeckle hyde quality act.

harmony

2004-10-07, 7:06 pm

bd, the beady eyed wannabe doctor, brings his anti-hindu hateful politics to
medicine.
reminds me of a scene of a doc joining kkk just to hear acclamation of
idiots to whom he gave speeches.

"Dr. Jai Maharaj" <usenet@mantra.com> wrote in message
news:kmN7B79qLyN2@wY286G2zVIuxwW...
> In article <10m87dfcegbbn77@corp.supernews.com>,
> "harmony" <aka@hotmail.com> posted:
and[vbcol=seagreen]
such[vbcol=seagreen]
time[vbcol=seagreen]
were[vbcol=seagreen]
the[vbcol=seagreen]
>
> This Dixit guy has had no training in Ayurved. He is not
> a scientific person because he publishes conclusions about
> something without studying it.
>
American[vbcol=seagreen]
>
>
> I don't think that Dixit realizes that numerous western
> medicines have inflicted great harm on the American population,
> and that many have been recalled. Also, he doesn't seem to know
> that even western medicines -- about 70-80 percent of them -- are
> also based on herbs and plants.
>
> Jai Maharaj
> http://www.mantra.com/jai
> Om Shanti

snicker@toomuch.com

2004-10-07, 7:06 pm

Jay stevens,aka dr. jai etc., and his sock puppet continue their
intresting interaction, like a person talking to himself in a mirror.
Jay, and by definition harmony, got taken down several pegs when a
university researcher rebuked him/them on this topic. With his/their face
still stinging and much of it lost, this shadow play continues.

Dr. Jai Maharaj

2004-10-07, 7:06 pm

In article <10mauu05d1hc542@corp.supernews.com>,
"harmony" <aka@hotmail.com> posted:
> bd, the beady eyed wannabe doctor, brings his anti-hindu hateful politics to
> medicine.
> reminds me of a scene of a doc joining kkk just to hear acclamation of
> idiots to whom he gave speeches.

Perhaps Dixit is a frustrated campus employee who finds
access to the Internet when he's cleaning the offices.

Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti
[vbcol=seagreen]
> Dr. Jai Maharaj posted:
>
> and
> such
> time
> were
> the
> American

snicker1@toomuch1.com

2004-10-07, 7:06 pm

"> bd, the beady eyed wannabe doctor, brings his anti-hindu hateful
politics to
> medicine.
> reminds me of a scene of a doc joining kkk just to hear acclamation of
> idiots to whom he gave speeches.

Perhaps Dixit is a frustrated campus employee who finds
access to the Internet when he's cleaning the offices."

Jay stevens,aka dr. jai etc., and sock puppet harmony are feeling still
the sting delevered by the person they arey trying to defame. He/they
said many doctors use Ayurvedic drugs and the rebuke came swiftly from a
university researcher who is following the Ayurvedic scene. He said, "no
such thing in the real world", thus we find the above ng masturbation.
If face loss is too severe what do you do, call personal attack tactics
and hope no one notices. Each new/repeated installment of this sad tale
is only further confirmation, oh what a silly boy/puppet.

ayurvedwizard

2005-08-05, 5:39 am

quote:
Originally posted by pund kamath
Balwant Dixit <bdixit@pitt.edu> wrote in message
.....
It would be appropriate for the Western countries to ban the
importation of these
> "so called medications", most of which have never been tested clinically
> in statistically validated human patient trials for their
> effectiveness. ......Balwant N. Dixit, Professor of Pharmacology,
> university of Pittsburgh..
I wholeheartedly agree with you. Since powerful lobbies in USA
succeeded in putting herbal medicines under the juridiction of food
category and not under FDA, anybody can label anything on earth and
sell as herbal medication. This all happened under great leader Ronald
Reagan.
Unfortunately adulteration, absence of Quality control happens even in
Canada in basement-laboratories. Often these 'drugs' have absolutely
nothing in them except misleading claims. So it is good idea to ban
them or bring them under some sort of FDA agency.

One more question for you here.
If you are really the professor of Pharmacology,University of
Pittsburgh where and why do you get the time to read all the crap and
rubbish that is posted in these Soc.Indian.culture Ng?. Is it not a
waste your time?

Mind you all who think that the Indian system of medicine is lacking quality control or cause harm for containing metals as one of the ingredients.
i am practicinng pure Ayurveda since 5 years and am proud of my science. tell me which mordern medicine does not have an adverse effect? all of them have.pick any medical index and you will find adverse reaction and side effects for every medicine.

i am ready to challenge any doctor for the reason that ayurvedic medicines are harmless and if prepared according to the ancient method which alsoo have quality analysis methods there can never be a adverse reaction.
some companies do mass production that is when the quality control is not proper. For this reason one should not blame it on the science.it is unfair to do that.