-October 10, 2008
Three people in Yunnan, China – located in the country’s southwest region – died after having been injected with a Siberian ginseng extract. The drug manufacturer Wandashan Pharmaceutical, which is based in Heilongjiang (in northeast China), is responsible for producing these lethal ginseng injections.
According to the Chinese health controller’s Web site, a total of six patients are known to have received injections from this batch of Siberian ginseng. Despite the eventual death of three of these patients, all six were seriously sickened and experienced:
• chills
• coma
• drops in blood pressure
• nausea
• vomiting.
At the time of the injections, all six patients were being treated at the "Number Four People’s Hospital." Currently, the use and sales of this toxic ginseng injection have been halted throughout China.
Uses of Siberian Ginseng in China
Siberian ginseng, which may also be referred to as eleuthero, is different than both American and Chinese ginseng in that it comes from a distinct plant with its own unique properties. Some of the common uses for Siberian ginseng include:
• boosting the immune system
• improving memory
• increasing energy and stamina
• stabilizing blood pressure
• stimulating appetite
• treating heart disease
Depending on the condition being treated, patients may take Siberian ginseng in the form of pills, liquid, powder or injections.
What Went Wrong with these Ginseng Injections?
Investigations performed by China’s State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) have revealed that the toxic Siberian ginseng injections came from two batches, both of which were generated from the herb known as ciwujia.
Although a representative of Wandashan Pharmaceutical said that this company has been putting ciwujia in its products for over 30 years, he was quick to also point out that the fatal ginseng injections are no longer being made or sold. Remainders of the two toxic batches produced are currently being tested by the SFDA.
(Sources: BBC Health News, University of Maryland Medical Center)
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