Breeher Laura, Mikulski Marek A, Czeczok Thomas, Leinenkugel Kathy, Fuortes Laurence J
Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, College of Public Health, The University of Iowa , Iowa City, IA, USA.
Int J Occup Environ Health. 2015;21(4):303-7. doi: 10.1179/2049396715Y.0000000009. Epub 2015 Apr 6.
Use of alternative medications and herbal remedies is widespread in the United States and across the globe. These traditional medications can be contaminated with toxic metals. Despite several case reports of poisoning from such contamination, the epidemiological data are still limited.
To report on a cluster of lead and mercury toxicity cases in 2011 among a community of adherents of traditional medical practice of Ayurveda.
Adherents of Ayurveda were offered heavy metals screening following the identification of the index case.
Forty-six of 115 participants (40%) had elevated blood lead levels (BLLs) of 10 μg/dl or above, with 9.6% of BLLs at or above 50 μg/dl.
This is the largest cluster of lead and mercury toxicity following use of Ayurvedic supplements described in the literature in the US. Contamination of herbal products is a public health issue of global significance. There are few regulations addressing contamination of "natural" products or supplements.
在美国乃至全球，替代药物和草药疗法的使用都很普遍。这些传统药物可能会被有毒金属污染。尽管有几例关于此类污染导致中毒的病例报告，但流行病学数据仍然有限。
报告2011年阿育吠陀传统医学从业者群体中发生的一系列铅和汞中毒病例。
在确定首例病例后，为阿育吠陀从业者提供重金属筛查。
115名参与者中有46名（40%）血铅水平（BLLs）升高至10μg/dl或更高，其中9.6%的BLLs达到或高于50μg/dl。
这是美国文献中描述的使用阿育吠陀补充剂后出现的最大规模的铅和汞中毒群体。草药产品的污染是一个具有全球意义的公共卫生问题。针对“天然”产品或补充剂污染的法规很少。
