Department of Medical Toxicology, Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center, Phoenix, AZ, USA.
J Med Toxicol. 2013 Mar;9(1):21-4. doi: 10.1007/s13181-012-0231-5.
Complementary and alternative medications, including the use of herbal medications, have become quite popular in the USA. Yerberias are found throughout the southwest and specialize in selling Hispanic herbal products. The products sold in these stores are not regulated by any governmental agency. Previous reports have found Ayurvedic medications contain high levels of lead, mercury, and arsenic. The primary purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence of heavy metal contaminants sold at Yerberia stores in the southwest. Yerberias in the Phoenix, Arizona area were identified via search of an on-line search engine using the words "Yerberia Phoenix." Every second store was selected, and products were purchased using a standard script. The products were subsequently analyzed for mercury, lead, and arsenic. The main outcome is the prevalence of heavy metal content in over-the-counter "cold" medications purchased at a Yerberia. Twenty-two samples were purchased. One product contained pure camphor (2-camphone) and was subsequently not further analyzed. Of the 21 samples analyzed, lead was found in 4/21 (19.4 %). Arsenic and mercury were in 1/21 (4.8 %) each. Because two samples contained two heavy metals, the total prevalence of heavy metals was 4/21 (19.4). Heavy metal contaminants are commonly encountered in over-the-counter herbal "cold" medications purchased at Yerberias in the southwest.
补充和替代药物，包括草药药物的使用，在美国已经变得非常流行。草药店遍布美国西南部，专门销售西班牙草药产品。这些商店出售的产品不受任何政府机构的监管。以前的报告发现，阿育吠陀药物含有高水平的铅、汞和砷。本研究的主要目的是检查在西南部的草药店出售的重金属污染物的流行程度。通过在网上搜索引擎中搜索“Yerberia Phoenix”，确定了亚利桑那州凤凰城地区的草药店。每隔一家商店被选中，并按照标准脚本购买产品。随后对这些产品进行汞、铅和砷的分析。主要结果是在 Yerberia 购买的非处方“感冒”药物中重金属含量的流行程度。购买了 22 个样本。一种产品含有纯樟脑（2-樟脑），因此没有进一步分析。在分析的 21 个样本中，有 4/21（19.4%）发现含有铅。砷和汞各有 1/21（4.8%）。由于两个样本含有两种重金属，因此重金属的总流行率为 4/21（19.4%）。在西南部的 Yerberia 购买的非处方草药“感冒”药物中，经常会遇到重金属污染物。
