I received a leaflet from the Committee of Safety on Medicines yesterday. I’ll just pass on the warning about black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) and hepatotoxicity.

“There have been 10 reports of suspected adverse reactions associated with black cohosh, 7 of which have been reports of hepatotoxicity.”

The website is www.mhra.gov.uk

There was also a reminder about Chinese medicines and herbal remedies. The substances that have been found in some medicines include prohibited herbal ingredients Aristolochia and Ephedrine.
Prescription medicines were also found such as corticosteroids, fenfluramine (withdrawn globally) and glibenclamide.
Other disgusting ingredients found were mercury, lead and arsenic, human placenta and excreta from bats.

There were also many warnings about conventional prescription medicine including statins and grapefruit juice, so it would be worth taking a look at the website if you are on prescription medicines.

Hi Audrey and all,

Further to your posting on hepatotoxicity, I was sent a note about Teucrium sp having the same effects though why anyone should want to eat any species of Teucrium, I have no idea. Incidentally does any other Labiate have supposedly toxic effects, I can't think of one

Anthony