Toxicity of Ayurvedic drugs - Facts you must know - Prof Dr. Shriram Savrikar M.D. (Ayu), Ph.D.

 Toxicity of Ayurvedic drugs - Facts you must know 

Doubts are often found raised on the toxicity of Ayurvedic drugs. These doubts arise out of ignorance about Ayurvedic drugs. Pessimistic view about Ayurvedic drugs, is specifically related to heavy metal content of Ayurvedic drugs. Many people think that most of the Ayurvedic drugs contain heavy metals. This is not true. Not all Ayurvedic drugs contain heavy metals or any ingredients harmful to the body.

Ayurvedic drugs can be broadly classified into three types 1. Herbal drugs 2. Mineral or Metal drugs and 3. Herbo-mineral or Herbo-metallic drugs. There is no reason that the first Herbal drug category should contain any metal or mineral ingredient. If present, such presence is indicative of adulteration of the drug. The second category named Mineral or Metal drugs, as the name suggests do contain minerals or/and metals as the case may be. However, this category should not contain any mineral or metal other than its genuine ingredient. Such presence of metals or minerals in these drugs is an adulteration. The principle applicable to mineral or metal drug is applicable to the third category named Herbo-mineral or Herbo-metallic drugs as well. Presence of any mineral or metal other than its genuine ingredient makes the drug adulterated.

It is also to be known that some herbal drugs are made of poisonous plants. The indication, dose, duration and adjuvants and other requirements of consumption of such drugs needs to be carefully planned, which is a highly professional job. Consumption of such herbal drugs without advice and supervision of appropriately qualified and trained Ayurvedic doctor will always prove harmful. Such uncontrolled consumption is observed to be a basic cause in almost all cases of toxicity purported to be caused by Ayurvedic drugs, widely reported in print and virtual media world over.

Inappropriate use of Ayurvedic drugs: Inappropriate use of Ayurvedic drugs is invariably related to the dose and duration of administration. Such inappropriate use of any drug can prove as fatal as a strong poison, and as injurious as an injury caused by a fatal weapon or a burn, therefore every drug needs to be used very cautiously. Even a strong poison if used appropriately proves an effective drug, whereas even an ambrosia if used inappropriately can prove as fatal as a strong poison. Metals and mineral ingredients are purposefully added in many Ayurvedic medicinal formulations to derive therapeutic benefit. In all such cases it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to display the presence of heavy metal or any toxic substance, in a drug as an ingredient on the label of the drug. Failure of such declaration invites penal action on the part of manufacturer.

The dose of drugs containing mineral metal or poisonous plants is found exceeded in almost all reported cases of toxicity of Ayurvedic drugs. Ayurvedic classics are very specific while stating the dose of such drugs. Mineral metal drugs better known as Rasaushadhi are known to be effective in very small doses.

Duration of Administration: Another very important problem is the duration for which the mineral metal drugs are administered. In many cases, particularly in reported cases of toxicity, the dose and duration of the drug appears to have been exceeded far more than required. It is also observed that the incidences of toxicity caused by Ayurvedic drugs are blown out of proportion by most of the authors. Compared to incidences of Adverse Drug Ractions (ADRs) resulting from administration of allopathic drugs, ADRs of Ayurvedic drugs appear negligible.

Some researchers have conducted analytical studies of Ayurvedic drugs to find out their heavy metal content and toxic potential. In all these studies the heavy metal content of Ayurvedic drugs is found compared with permissible limits of heavy metal content in food products. Naturally it was found higher. Comparison of drugs with food products in all these studies is irrational and unscientific. Permissible limits for drugs are always much higher for drugs and applicable only for assessing the adulteration in the drugs. As compared to drugs, the food products are consumed in large amounts and on regular basis for long durations. Therefore, permissible limits of harmful ingredients in food products are much lower. Consumption of such food products in large amounts and for long duration, is likely to produce irreversible damage to the body. Whereas, drugs are taken in very small doses and for a very short duration. Therefore, permissible limits for drug are much higher. In case some damage is produced by consumption of these drugs, due to their heavy metal content, such damage is reversible after withdrawal of drugs. Moreover, when heavy metals are purposefully added in the drug for the benefit for the patient, such limits are not applicable. In such cases the therapeutic dose and duration of administration of drug is determined in such a way, that no harm is produced to the body. Still many researchers publish papers reporting heavy metal content of Ayurvedic drugs, considering them as food supplements. They should correct themselves and consider Ayurvedic drugs as drugs.

In some cases, Ayurvedic drugs may have been found to have caused toxicity. Overall review of published articles reporting such toxicity of Ayurvedic drugs indicates that in almost all these cases, even ordinary rules of drug consumption were not followed during administration of these drugs. The misappropriations observed occurred in these cases can be summarized as below:

1. Drugs were found administered in doses more than the prescribed dose.

2. Precautions regarding adjuvants, dietary practices etc. necessary to be observed during consumption of Ayurvedic drugs were not followed by the consumer.

3. Duration of administration of drugs was found exceeded much more than the prescribed period.

4. The patient consuming the drugs were not supervised or monitored by any qualified Ayurvedic doctor.

5. Drugs were acquired by the patients either from online market or purchased from grocery stores from local market, without any medical advice.   

To conclude, it can be definitely said that it is not wise to manufacture, sale, prescribe and consume Ëyurevdic drugs carelessly, thinking that they do not have any side effects. It is also true that Ayurvedic drugs are safe when used appropriately under the supervision of appropriately qualified and trained Ayurvedic doctor, but can prove harmful as any other drug does, if not used appropriately. Last but not the least, if somebody consumes drugs as if they are food products, they are bound to prove toxic. In such a situation it is the fault of consumer and not of the drug.

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