Fiber Grass • Job's tears seeds • Tarragon • Psyllium husk • Bamboo shoot (bambusa oldhami) • Lotus leaf.
Brand name products often contain multiple ingredients. To read detailed information about each ingredient, click on the link for the individual ingredient shown above.
On May 17, 2010, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration warned that this product has been found to be contaminated with the prescription weight loss drug sibutramine (Meridia) (17471). Advise patients not to take this product.
On December 22, 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned consumers that this product is adulterated with prescription or unapproved drugs including one or more of the following: sibutramine (Meridia), rimonabant, phenytoin (Dilantin), or phenolphthalein (16683). Advise patients not to take this product.
Below is general information about the effectiveness of the known ingredients contained in the product Meizitang. Some ingredients may not be listed. This information does NOT represent a recommendation for or a test of this specific product as a whole.
INSUFFICIENT RELIABLE EVIDENCE to RATE
INSUFFICIENT RELIABLE EVIDENCE to RATE
INSUFFICIENT RELIABLE EVIDENCE to RATE
INSUFFICIENT RELIABLE EVIDENCE to RATE
Below is general information about the safety of the known ingredients contained in the product Meizitang. Some ingredients may not be listed. This information does NOT represent a recommendation for or a test of this specific product as a whole.
LIKELY SAFE ...when properly prepared bamboo shoots are used orally in food amounts (96875).
POSSIBLY SAFE ...when bamboo salt-containing toothpaste is used topically during brushing twice daily for up to 4 weeks (109458). There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of bamboo when taken by mouth in the amounts found in medicine or when used topically on areas of the body beyond the teeth and gums.
PREGNANCY AND LACTATION:
Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.
POSSIBLY SAFE ...when consumed orally and appropriately as a food. Job's tears has been safely eaten in amounts up to 60 grams daily for 4 weeks (15368). There is not enough information available to know if Job's tears extracts from the root or seed are safe when taken as a supplement.
PREGNANCY: POSSIBLY UNSAFE
when used orally.
In animal models, Job's tears seed extract induces embryo toxicity and increases uterine contractions during pregnancy (15373); avoid using during pregnancy.
LACTATION:
Insufficient reliable information available; avoid using.
LIKELY SAFE. ..when used orally in food amounts. The flowers, seeds, leaves, and rhizomes of lotus are all edible (95261). There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of medicinal lotus.
PREGNANCY AND LACTATION:
Insufficient reliable information available on the medicinal use of lotus; avoid using.
LIKELY SAFE ...when the leaf or essential oil is used orally in amounts commonly found in foods. Tarragon has Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status in the US (4912). There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of tarragon when used orally or topically in medicinal amounts, or when used by inhalation for aromatherapy.
PREGNANCY AND LACTATION: LIKELY UNSAFE
Insufficient reliable information is available; avoid using.
Below is general information about the interactions of the known ingredients contained in the product Meizitang. Some ingredients may not be listed. This information does NOT represent a recommendation for or a test of this specific product as a whole.
Theoretically, long-term bamboo use might increase the effects and adverse effects of antithyroid drugs, possibly leading to hypothyroidism.
 Details
Animal research suggests that long-term consumption of bamboo shoot can decrease thyroid peroxidase activity, as well as levels of thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) (33538). This effect has not yet been reported in humans.
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Preliminary evidence shows that constituents of Job's tears might have hypoglycemic effects (15363). Theoretically, concomitant use with drugs that decrease blood glucose levels might increase the risk of hypoglycemia. Some antidiabetes drugs include glimepiride (Amaryl), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), insulin, pioglitazone (Actos), rosiglitazone (Avandia), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glipizide (Glucotrol), tolbutamide (Orinase), and others.
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Animal research suggests that Job's tears might enhance absorption of chlorzoxazone in the small intestine. Single dose and short-term oral administration of Job's tears bran ethanolic extract along with oral administration of a five-drug cocktail containing chlorzoxazone increases chlorzoxazone peak plasma concentration and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) without altering major cytochrome P450 activities in the liver (106531). This effect has not been reported in humans.
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Animal research suggests that Job's tears might enhance absorption of dextromethorphan in the small intestine. Single dose oral administration of Job's tears bran ethanolic extract along with oral administration of a five-drug cocktail containing dextromethorphan increases dextromethorphan area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) without altering major cytochrome P450 activities in the liver (106531). This effect has not been reported in humans.
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Animal research suggests that Job's tears might enhance absorption of diltiazem in the small intestine. Single dose oral administration of Job's tears bran ethanolic extract along with oral administration of a five-drug cocktail containing diltiazem increases diltiazem peak plasma concentration and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) without altering major cytochrome P450 activities in the liver (106531). This effect has not been reported in humans.
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Animal research suggests that Job's tears might enhance absorption of theophylline in the small intestine. Single dose and short-term oral administration of Job's tears bran ethanolic extract along with oral administration of a five-drug cocktail containing theophylline increases theophylline peak plasma concentration and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC) without altering major cytochrome P450 activities in the liver (106531). This effect has not been reported in humans.
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Theoretically, concurrent use of lotus with other antiplatelet drugs might reduce platelet aggregation and increase the risk of bleeding.
Details
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Theoretically, lotus might have additive effects with antidiabetes drugs and increase the risk of hypoglycemia.
Details
Animal research shows that the ethanolic extract of lotus reduces blood glucose levels and potentiates the effects of injected insulin (60053). Monitor blood glucose levels closely. Dose adjustments might be necessary.
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Theoretically, taking lotus concomitantly with pentobarbital might increase sedation.
Details
Animal research shows that lotus extract increases pentobarbitone-induced sleeping time (60051). It is not known if this occurs in humans or if this effect occurs with other barbiturates or sedatives.
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Evidence from in vitro research suggests that tarragon extract inhibits platelet aggregation and adhesion (49445,76932,77038). Theoretically, tarragon might increase the risk of bleeding when used with antiplatelet or anticoagulant drugs. Some anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs include aspirin, clopidogrel (Plavix), dalteparin (Fragmin), enoxaparin (Lovenox), heparin, ticlopidine (Ticlid), warfarin (Coumadin), and others.
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Evidence from animal research suggests that tarragon essential oil can cause sedation and motor impairment when administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 1 mL/kg (77024). Theoretically, concomitant use of tarragon with CNS depressants, including antihistamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and tricyclic antidepressants, may increase sedative and other adverse effects.
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In vitro research suggests that tarragon extract inhibits monoamine oxidase (MAO)-A and MAO-B enzymes (106774). Theoretically, concomitant use with MAOIs might increase the effects and adverse effects associated with MAOIs.
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Below is general information about the adverse effects of the known ingredients contained in the product Meizitang. Some ingredients may not be listed. This information does NOT represent a recommendation for or a test of this specific product as a whole.
General ...There is currently a limited amount of information on the adverse effects of bamboo.
Dermatologic ...Topically, bamboo shoots have been reported to cause contact dermatitis in a 44-year-old female (33540).
Gastrointestinal ...In one case report, melanosis coli, pigmentation of the colon wall, was reported following the ingestion of bamboo leaf extract (33547).
Other ...Bamboo shoots are a source of cyanide glycosides. However, the hydrogen cyanide produced by the plant is eliminated during boiling, fermentation, or superheated steam drying of the shoots (96875). During the rescue of a male who jumped into a well which was used for bamboo shoot pickling, cyanide poisoning occurred in 8 individuals. The poisoning caused high anion gap metabolic acidosis in all patients and resulted in two deaths due to cardiac arrest. Some patients also had pulmonary edema and/or infiltration (96874).
General ...Orally, Job's tears is generally well tolerated when consumed as a food (15368). There is no good scientific evidence on the safety and adverse effects of Job's tears taken orally in medicinal amounts.
Dermatologic ...Oral use of Job's tears has been associated with Baboon syndrome -- a condition characterized by a red and itchy rash most often located on the buttocks. In one case report, a 53-year-old woman taking a specific Job's tears-containing supplement (Ibane, JW Pharm) from South Korea experienced severe red and itchy skin around her trunk and groin area. While the supplement also contains riboflavin, pyridoxine, ascorbic acid, nicotinamide, biotin, and L-cysteine, Job's tears was thought to be the cause of this patient's reaction. After two weeks of not taking the supplement the patient's skin returned to normal (95438).
General ...Orally, adverse effects to lotus seem to be rare when taken in medicinal amounts; however, a thorough safety evaluation has not been conducted.
Immunologic ...Orally and topically, lotus root can cause allergic reactions such as urticaria and contact dermatitis. In a case report, a 6-year-old female developed urticaria after ingesting lotus root. She had also developed contact dermatitis on body areas that had been in contact with the lotus root (99738).
General ...No adverse effects have been reported. However, a thorough evaluation of safety outcomes has not been conducted. There is concern that long-term consumption of estragole, a constituent of tarragon, increases the risk for cancer. However, this risk has only been shown in animals (77046,77029,77042).
