October 28, 2013

The Health Ministry today advised consumers to stop buying three unregistered traditional medicine and a slimming product as they were found to contain scheduled poisons.

The three traditional medicine named by the Health Ministry were Majun Dua Istimewa, Makjun Taufiq Dua Istimewa and Madu Adunan Herba plus the slimming product known as Figure-Up.

The Health Ministry's Pharmaceutical services senior director Datuk Eisah Abdul Rahman said tests carried out by the ministry on the three traditional medicine found dexamethasone among its contents, a product that can cause liver and kidney problems if consumed without advise from doctors.

"A patient has died due to kidney complications after consuming Majun Dua Istimewa products for two months, purportedly as a pain relief," she said in a statement today.

Other symptoms include obesity, "Cushing's Syndrome", allergy, increase in cholesterol, headache, stomach ulcer, osteoporosis, breathing difficulty, virus attack and disruption in blood flow.

Esah said dexamethasone which is controlled under the Sale of Drugs Act 1952, is a potent anti-inflammatory drug often used to treat allergy and must only be consumed upon a doctor's prescription.

She said the named traditional medicines were still being sold despite raids carried out by the Health Ministry's enforcement division.

"A total of 401 bottles of Majun Dua Istimewa worth RM146,779 and 96 bottles of Makjun Taufiq Dua Istimewa worth RM32,593 were seized since June," she said," he said.

Meanwhile, Figure-Up contains sibutramine which is used to reduce weight, especially by obesity patients.

Excerpt from:

3 traditional medicine, one slimming product banned by Health Ministry - Bernama