Canadian drug regulatory agency Health Canada has once again issued a warning note against the use of an ayurvedic tablet manufactured and marketed from India. The product under Health Canada scanner is Jambrulin, a tablet manufactured by Unjha Pharmacy, Ahmedabad. The Canadian regulator has advised consumers not to use Jambrulin because of the high level of lead content. "Consumption of heavy metals such as lead can pose serious health risks because they may accumulate in the body's vital organs. Infants, children and pregnant women are most susceptible to the toxic effects of lead," it has warned.

Interestingly, Jambrulin is not authorized for sale in Canada and has not been found on the Canadian market. However, the warning note comes in the backdrop of its availability for sale over the Internet.

Health Canada issued public advisories in June 2006 and March 2005 and a public warning in July 2005 about the risk of heavy metal toxicity associated with other ayurvedic medicinal products.

The agency while accepting the principles of ayurvedic medicine, which says that the heavy metals may be used in a detoxified state in these products because of their reputed therapeutic properties, warned that improper manufacturing processes may result in dangerously high levels of heavy metals in the final product.

Ingesting lead can affect nearly every organ and system in the human body and can cause abdominal pain, anaemia, changes in blood pressure, negative reproductive effects, weakness, concentration problems, weight loss, insomnia, dizziness, kidney and brain damage, and can lead to death, the agency warned.

It should be noted that the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) had warned its residents against the use of certain herbal medicine products, including Jambrulin last year. According to their advisory, Jambrulin contains 24,300 ppm of lead and is used for diabetes and sugar control.