Plant extract marketed in the context of traditional Chinese medicine linked to liver lesions

More and more people have reported cases of serious liver injury as a result of taking a plant extract called Artemisia annua, which has led the Director General of Health to renew a public warning .

The extract of Artemisia annua (also known as Sweet Wormwood, Sweet Annie or Qing hao) is marketed as a natural dietary supplement to maintain and support joint health and mobility.

The odorant extract has long been linked to the practices of traditional Chinese medicine.

A first health alert relating to its use was issued in February after 14 cases of liver damage related to the use of Arthrem and other natural products containing extracts of the drug. Artemisia annua have been reported.

Since then, 11 other reports have been reported, some of which report serious damage.

Some of these new reports may have been reported by people who took these products earlier, but they may also come from people who continue to take the product, said the Ministry of Health.

Several products containing Artemisia annua extract are available in New Zealand.

Anyone taking these products should be aware of the risk of harm related to its use, the ministry said.

The majority of cases reported to the Adverse Reaction Monitoring Center are related to the use of Arthrem soft capsules (Promisia).

Two cases also report the use of GO Arthri-Remedy soft capsules 1-A-Day (GO Healthy).

GO Arthri-Remedy 1-A-Day was removed after the publication of the previous alert.

There are still other products in New Zealand containing Artemesia annua extract.

Medsafe recommends anyone taking these products to be alert for signs of nausea, stomach pain, pale stools, dark urine, general itching, yellow eyes or skin. Anyone with these symptoms should consult a doctor.

Most patients are thought to have stopped taking the plant extracts once they became ill.

Most of them also recovered damage to their liver or improved when they reported links with the plant extract to the authorities.

Visit www.health.govt.nz for more information.