Alert on aconitum alkaloid poisoning (January 13, 2012)
The Department of Health (DH) today (January 13) announced for the
public's early information a case of aconitum alkaloid poisoning of
unknown origin while the investigation is still ongoing.
A DH spokesman said that the incident was referred by the
Hospital Authority (HA). It was reported that on December 28, 2011,
a 35-year-old Chinese male developed symptoms and signs compatible
with aconitum alkaloid poisoning, including perioral numbness,
shortness of breath and palpitations. He went to the Mainland on
the same day and subsequently sought emergency care from United
Christian Hospital on December 30 and was discharged after
consultation.
"There was a history of consuming Chinese herbal medicines for
health maintenance prescribed by a registered Chinese medicine
practitioner stationed in Po Yan Tong Medical Company, a licensed
Chinese herbal retailer in Sai Wan.
"The clinical suspicion was confirmed by HA through testing of
the patient's urine and herbal remnants. Specifically, two rare
aconitum alkaloids, yunaconitine and crassicauline A, were found in
both," the spokesman said.
"The above are particularly potent aconitum alkaloids which can
even be life-threatening because they can cause breathing
difficulties and cardiac arrhythmia. Hence, DH commences
investigation immediately.
"However, until this moment, we have failed to locate the
patient.
"Nonetheless, working on whatever information is available, DH
inspectors note that among the 23 Chinese herbs prescribed to the
patient, none should contain yunaconitine and crassicauline A", the
spokesman said.
Also, both on-site inspection at the retailer by DH Chinese
medicine experts and analysis by the Government Laboratory of
specimens collected could identify no evidence of contamination in
Po Yan Tong's Chinese herbal medicine stock that could explain the
detection of the two aconitum alkaloids.
"In fact, Chinese medicinal plants known to contain the above
two alkaloids are limited to only a few and these are known to be
rarely, if ever, used in Hong Kong," the spokesman said.
"While the investigation continues, healthcare professionals
should be on the alert and report to DH if they come across
suspicious cases," he added.
So far, DH has not received any other report of related adverse
incidents.
(Reprinted from HKSAR Government web page
http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/201201/13/P201201130513.htm
)
