More bad news for ephedra
People who use dietary supplements containing ephedra and caffeine could be putting themselves at risk of developing heart problems, research suggests.
The finding, published this week in JAMA (2004;291:216) follows a decision
by the US Food and Drug Administration to ban the sale of ephedra-containing
products.
Brian McBride, from the University of Connecticut Schools of Pharmacy,
and colleagues studied the effects of a popular herbal preparation containing
19 ingredients including ephedra (12mg) and caffeine (40mg) in 15 healthy
volunteers. Compared with those who received placebo, volunteers given
ephedra and caffeine had a longer maximal QTc interval and higher systolic
blood pressure. “Overall, 53 per cent of participants had QTc interval
increases of at least 30 milliseconds while taking the dietary supplement,” say
the researchers.
Preliminary data from the study were presented at the American
Heart Association congress held in Orlando last year (PJ, 22 November 2003,
p702).
In the UK, ephedra can be supplied by herbal practitioners after a one-to-one
consultation, providing that the maximum dose does not exceed 600mg and
that the maximum daily dose does not exceed 1,800mg. Above these limits,
supply must be made from a registered pharmacy under the supervision
of a pharmacist. |
The
Pharmaceutical Journal