9 Dec 2011
The Department of Health (DH) today (December 9) announces for public's information about a case of aconitum alkaloid poisoning relating to consumption of Chinese herbal medicines. The latter was purchased from a licensed Chinese herb retailer, Wing Wah Dispensary (Wing Wah), at Sheung Tak Shopping Centre, Sheung Tak Estate, Tseung Kwan O.
A DH spokesman reveals that the incident first came to light because of notification by Hospital Authority (HA). On November 29, a 45-year-old lady developed symptoms and signs compatible with aconitum alkaloid poisoning, including generalised numbness, weakness and slow heart rate, after consuming Chinese herbal medicines for her upper respiratory tract illness prescribed by a registered Chinese medicine practitioner stationed in Wing Wah. She then sought care from Tseung Kwan O Hospital and was discharged on December 1.
"The clinical suspicion was confirmed by laboratory testing, the results of which were made available to DH yesterday. Two rare and poisonous aconitum alkaloids, yunaconitine and crassicauline A, were found in both the lady's urine and medicine remnant," the spokesman elaborates.
"The above are particularly potent aconitum alkaloids which can even be life-threatening because they can cause breathing difficulties and cardiac arrhythmia," the spokesman remarks.
"Thus, DH commences investigation immediately," the spokesman emphasizes.
"A check was made on the prescription and found that among the 12 Chinese herbs consumed by the patient, none should contain yunaconitine and crassicauline A," the spokesman confirms.
Neither could on-site inspection by DH Chinese medicine inspectors and experts identify evidence of gross contamination in the Chinese herbal medicine stock, including the 12 herbs prescribed.
"In fact, analyses by the Government Laboratory on samples collected from Wing Wah also failed to detect the presence of either alkaloid," the spokesman continues.
"Chinese medicinal plants known to contain the above two alkaloids are limited to only a few and these are known to be rarely, if ever, used in Hong Kong," the spokesman quotes.
" As such, the possibilities of both in-situ and post-import contamination are slim. The matter has thus been referred to the Mainland's drug regulatory authority for their necessary follow-up," the spokesman says.
"Meanwhile, health care professionals should be on the alert and report to DH if they come across similar cases," the spokesman concludes.
So far, DH has not received report of related adverse incident. It is, however, understood that the Department will continue to trace the source of the alkaloids while remaining vigilant.