'Ayurvedic' Medicines May Contain Lead, Mercury or Arsenic

Aug. 27 -- TUESDAY, Aug. 26 (HealthDay News) -- About one in five ayurvedic medicine products purchased on the Internet contain significant levels of lead, mercury or arsenic, a new study finds.

The researchers found that products manufactured in the United States were even more likely to contain the metals than those made in India, where the ayurvedic approach was first developed centuries ago. Furthermore, 75 percent of the products containing lead, mercury or arsenic advertised that they were manufactured using "Good Manufacturing Practices," which is a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation meant to ensure quality.

"We randomly purchased 193 traditional Indian (ayurvedic) medicine products from the Internet. About 60 percent were from U.S. companies and 40 percent from Indian companies. Twenty-one percent had significant levels of lead, mercury and arsenic," said the study's lead author, Dr. Robert B. Saper, an assistant professor of family medicine at Boston University School of Medicine, and director of integrative medicine at Boston Medical Center.

In high levels, these metals can be toxic.

Results of the study are published in the Aug. 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Ayurvedic medicine is an ancient Indian practice that combines the use of numerous modalities, such as herbal medicine, massage and special diets, to promote wellness and prevent illness, according to the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

There are two common practices in ayurveda -- either herbal medicine alone, or herbal medicines combined with metals and gems, a practice known as rasa shastra. In rasa shastra, herbs are combined with metals such as lead, mercury, iron and zinc, and gems such as pearl. Those that practice this type of ayurveda believe it is safe and therapeutic, according to the study.

Saper said that "many traditional Indian practitioners believe quite strongly that if rasa shastra is done correctly, it is safe," that he feels these practices should be "seriously called into question." Saper also said that he doesn't believe anyone should deliberately ingest lead, mercury or arsenic.