The Department of Health (DH) issued another warning yesterday that the import and sale of the Chinese herb birthwort (aristolochia linn) and its products was prohibited from June 1 because of the harmful effects.

Chinese medicine traders must recall aristolochia linn stocks and proprietary Chinese medicines (pCm) that contain the herb or aristolochic acid (AA), the main chemical content of the prohibited herbs.

Deputy Director of Health Dr Leung Ting-hung said this yesterday, repeating a similar announcement made on April 24.

According to medical documents, prolonged and excessive use of herbs containing AA leads to kidney failure and urinary tract cancer.

"Twenty-one types of pCm containing AA had been recalled so far," Leung said.

The announcement was based on the results of a study that focuses on the two kind of herbs. The experimental study was conducted under the collaboration of the department, the Hong Kong Government Laboratory and the Hong Kong Baptist University.

Based on the results, the Chinese Medicine Board of the Hong Kong Chinese Medicine Council has also followed the department's decision to ban the medicinal herbs.

The Chinese Medicine Board will issue guidelines to all Chinese medicine practitioners as well as traders in Hong Kong on safe use and handling of herbs containing AA.

From Chinadaily.com.cn