Earlier today, a warning was issued by Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority (HSA) regarding two Malaysian-made health products.
The two products in question are:
- Wan Ling Ren Sem Chin Kuo Pill
- Chong Cao Dan
Source: The Star
According to The Star, the alarm was raised after two elderly women suffered adverse effects after consuming them for years.
The first victim is a 70-year-old woman. She had been taking Wan Ling Ren Sem Chin Kuo Pill on a daily basis for four to five years to relieve her rheumatism and pain.
Sadly, she suffered from severe breathing difficulties and had to be put into the Intensive Care Unit. It turns out that her condition was caused by adrenal insufficiency, a serious condition where our body doesn’t produce sufficient amount of steroid hormones.
Symptoms for this condition include:
- General weakness
- Muscle and joint pain
- Low blood pressure
- Fits or shock
The second victim is a woman in her 60s. She took Chong Cao Dan every week for the past two to three years in order to improve her blood circulation and relieve muscle aches.
Gradually, she became dependant on the medicine as the pain would return once she stopped taking it.
The prolonged consumption has caused her to develop Cushing’s syndrome, which made her face round like a moon. Besides, her blood pressure was affected and her skin became thinner as well.
Source: Wikipedia
Luckily, she is not in any life-threatening condition and only needs outpatient care.
Although the manufacturers of these meds claimed the ingredients are of herbal content and promoted them as traditional Chinese medicines, it was discovered that these products actually contained undeclared western medicinal ingredients that could pose serious health risks.
For instance, both products were tested and were found to contain a potent steroid called dexamethasone, which can wreak havoc to our health over long-term consumption without a doctor’s supervision.
Besides, it was also reported that Chong Cao Dan actually contains frusemide, which is a type of diuretic that helps remove excess water from body, and chlorpheniramine, which is an anti-allergy medicine.
These Chinese medicines are usually used as remedies for conditions involving pain, numbness of the limbs and blood circulation.
Consumers who have taken these medicines were urged to consult a doctor as discontinuation of steroids could cause withdrawal symptoms such as:
- Fatigue
- Confusion
- Low blood pressure
So guys, spread the word and let your friends and family know about this ban!
Also read: 12 Junk Food We Used to Eat in Primary School That are Now Banned
