September 2006

Prescribed herbs may cause surgical complications

A new study done in Hong Kong has found that herbs used in some traditional Chinese prescriptions can cause complications if they are taken just before anesthesia and surgery. The study was published in the September issue of the medical journal Anesthesiology.

The study concluded that the use of traditional Chinese herbal medicines (TCHM) by prescription near the time of surgery should be discouraged because of the increased risk of adverse events in the preoperative period.

It named licorice, rehmannia, astragalus, atractylodes, and eucommia as potentially harmful traditional herbs if taken in prescription form before surgery.

The study emphasized that over-the-counter herbal soups and te were considered safe, but herbs used in prescription were more potent, because they are more concentrated.

Between January 2003 and September 2004, the researchers surveyed 601 patients and found that 80 percent took over-the-counter traditional herbal soups and teas, 12 percent did not take any traditional herbal medicine, and 8 percent took prescribed herbals. Patients taking TCHM prescriptions were two times more likely to have adverse events before surgery, according to the researchers.

Sources: Anesthesiology. 105(3):454-461, September 2006; Reuters Ltd.

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