The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 278 No 7448 p448
21 April 2007

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Senecio ban to be formalised

Having proposed a prohibition on unlicensed herbal medicines containing Senecio species early in 2004 (PJ, 7 February 2004, p148), the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency is now consulting on proposed legislation which will implement the ban.

Senecio species contain unsaturated pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are known to cause potentially fatal veno-occlusive disease. The legal ban will reinforce a voluntary agreement by herbal medicine suppliers not to supply senecio products.