Safety of alternative medicines reconsidered: lead-induced anaemia caused by an indian ayurvedic formulation

We report two cases of Belgian women diagnose with a lead poisoning. Both patients presented with abdominal pain and a normochromic normocytic anaemia. The diagnosis was based on the clinical symptoms, the anaemia, the basophilic stippling of erythrocytes and the elevated blood lead level Upon furth...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Acta clinica belgica (English ed. Online) 2008-01, Vol.63 (1), p.42-45
Main Authors: Creemers, L, Van den Driessche, M, Moens, M, Van Olmen, A, Verschaeren, J, T'Syen, M, Desmet, K, Moerman, J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Belgium
Female
Humans
Lead Poisoning - diagnosis
Lead Poisoning - etiology
Lead Poisoning - therapy
Medicine, Ayurvedic
Middle Aged
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Summary:We report two cases of Belgian women diagnose with a lead poisoning. Both patients presented with abdominal pain and a normochromic normocytic anaemia. The diagnosis was based on the clinical symptoms, the anaemia, the basophilic stippling of erythrocytes and the elevated blood lead level Upon further questioning, both patients reported the use of Ayurvedic medications. Toxicological analysis of the different pills revealed that, in both, the same orange-red pills contained a remarkably high amount of lead. Cases of lead poisoning associated with the use ofAyurvedic formulations are emerging around the world. However, to our knowledge, these are the first reported cases in Belgium.
ISSN:1784-3286
2295-3337
DOI:10.1179/acb.2008.007