View source for Traditional chinese medicine toxicology

==Background==
*Traditional Chinese medicine has become increasingly popular in the US and other Western countries, and has remained extremely popular in China and Hong Kong.<ref name="Kam">Kam PC1, Liew S. Traditional Chinese herbal medicine and anaesthesia. Anaesthesia. 2002 Nov;57(11):1083-9.</ref>
*Although generally marketed as "natural" and "herbal" in nature, many contain contaminants in the form of heavy metals or conventional western medications.<ref name="Kam" />
**Studies have found, among others, cadmium, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, nickel, lead, zinc, and mercury in traditional Chinese medicines<ref name="Kam" /><ref name="Chan">Chan K. Some aspects of toxic contaminants in herbal medicines. Chemosphere. 2003 Sep;52(9):1361-71.</ref>

==Common Toxic Herbs==
===Aconitine Group===
''These are the most common group of herbals<ref name="Kam" />
*Activates sodium channels → cardiac and neurotoxicity
*[[Paresthesia]]s, [[nausea/vomiting]], [[arrhythmias]], [[hypotension]]
===Podophyllin Group===
*Neurotoxicity ([[seizure]] + [[coma]])
===Anticholinergic group===
*[[Tachyarrhythmias]] + [[altered mental status]]
===[[Digoxin]]-like agents===
*[[Tachyarrhythmias]]
*[[Heart block]]

==See Also==
*[[Toxicology (Main)]]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Pharmacology]]
[[Category:Toxicology]]