Turpentine essential Oil (50%). Other Ingredients: Liquid Paraffin, Thyme Essential Oil.
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In 2004, Canada began regulating natural medicines as a category of products separate from foods or drugs. These products are officially recognized as "Natural Health Products." These products include vitamins, minerals, herbal preparations, homeopathic products, probiotics, fatty acids, amino acids, and other naturally derived supplements.
In order to be marketed in Canada, natural health products must be licensed. In order to be licensed in Canada, manufacturers must submit applications to Health Canada including information about uses, formulation, dosing, safety, and efficacy.
Products can be licensed based on several criteria. Some products are licensed based on historical or traditional uses. For example, if an herbal product has a history of traditional use, then that product may be acceptable for licensure. In this case, no reliable scientific evidence is required for approval.
For products with non-traditional uses, some level of scientific evidence may be required to support claimed uses. However, a high level of evidence is not necessarily required. Acceptable sources of evidence include at least one well-designed, randomized, controlled trial; well-designed, non-randomized trials; cohort and case control studies; or expert opinion reports.
Finished products licensed by Health Canada must be manufactured according to Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) as outlined by Health Canada.
Below is general information about the effectiveness of the known ingredients contained in the product Koong Yick Hak Kwai Oil. 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
Below is general information about the safety of the known ingredients contained in the product Koong Yick Hak Kwai Oil. Some ingredients may not be listed. This information does NOT represent a recommendation for or a test of this specific product as a whole.
POSSIBLY SAFE ...when applied topically in small quantities, short term (2).
POSSIBLY UNSAFE ...when applied topically in large quantities or to large areas of skin (2). Turpentine oil can be absorbed through the skin and cause poisoning, including kidney damage (98851).
LIKELY UNSAFE ...when used orally for medicinal purposes. Turpentine oil 2 mL/kg is considered toxic, with 120-180 mL being potentially lethal in adults (17). There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of turpentine oil when inhaled.
CHILDREN: LIKELY UNSAFE
when used orally.
As little as 15 mL of turpentine oil is potentially lethal in children (17). There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of turpentine oil applied topically or inhaled as vapors in children.
PREGNANCY AND LACTATION: LIKELY UNSAFE
when used orally.
In addition to its toxic effects, turpentine oil might be an abortifacient (19). There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of turpentine oil applied topically or inhaled as vapors during pregnancy and lactation; avoid using.
Below is general information about the interactions of the known ingredients contained in the product Koong Yick Hak Kwai Oil. Some ingredients may not be listed. This information does NOT represent a recommendation for or a test of this specific product as a whole.
There is some concern that turpentine oil can inhibit CYP1A2 enzyme activity by up to 90% via induction of inflammation and subsequent downregulation of CYP activity. However, animal research suggests that turpentine oil does not affect the metabolism of phenacetin, a CYP1A2 substrate, despite inducing inflammation (94059).
 Details
Some medications metabolized by CYP1A2 include clozapine (Clozaril), cyclobenzaprine (Flexeril), fluvoxamine (Luvox), haloperidol (Haldol), imipramine (Tofranil), mexiletine (Mexitil), olanzapine (Zyprexa), pentazocine (Talwin), propranolol (Inderal), tacrine (Cognex), theophylline, tizanidine (Zanaflex), zileuton (Zyflo), zolmitriptan (Zomig), and others.
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Some in vitro research shows that alpha-pinene, the major constituent of turpentine oil, does not increase the absorption of chlorpromazine or haloperidol when applied topically (98856). However, animal research shows that turpentine oil increases the absorption of ibuprofen when applied topically (98854). Theoretically, applying turpentine oil to the skin along with other medications might increase the effects and side effects of these medications.
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Below is general information about the adverse effects of the known ingredients contained in the product Koong Yick Hak Kwai Oil. 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
...Orally, turpentine oil is generally regarded as unsafe.
Turpentine oil can cause headache, insomnia, coughing, pulmonary aspiration, vomiting, hematuria, albuminuria, urinary tract inflammation, coma, and death (6,17).
By inhalation, turpentine oil can cause respiratory tract inflammation, increased airway resistance, and discomfort of the throat and airways (17).
Topically, turpentine oil seems to be well tolerated when used in small amounts and appropriately. Topical use can cause skin irritation, contact allergies, and hypersensitivity in some people (6,98859). Topical application of large quantities of turpentine oil can result in systemic absorption (98851), which has been reported to cause systemic poisoning (2).
Dermatologic ...Topically, turpentine oil can cause skin irritation, contact allergies, and hypersensitivity in some people (6,98859).
Gastrointestinal ...Orally, turpentine oil can cause vomiting (6,17).
Genitourinary ...Orally, turpentine oil can cause hematuria, albuminuria, and/or urinary tract inflammation (6,17). Topically, applying large quantities of turpentine oil to the skin can cause symptoms of turpentine oil poisoning, including kidney damage (2).
Neurologic/CNS ...Orally, turpentine oil can cause headache, insomnia, and in more severe cases, coma and/or death. (6,17). Topically, applying large quantities of turpentine oil to the skin can cause symptoms of turpentine oil poisoning, including central nervous system damage (2).
Pulmonary/Respiratory
...Orally, turpentine oil can cause coughing.
It has also been reported to cause pulmonary aspiration leading to hemorrhagic pulmonary edema (6,17). As inhalation therapy, turpentine oil can cause discomfort of the throat and airways, mild respiratory tract inflammation, and increased airway resistance (17,98857). Turpentine oil can also exacerbate bronchial spasms in people with asthma and whooping cough (7).
In one case report, an 18-month-old male developed lung parenchymal damage with formation of multiple abscess cavities and lung necrosis after accidental turpentine oil inhalation and aspiration (98858). In another case report, a 67-year-old female developed acute eosinophilic pneumonia after reported inhalation of turpentine oil over the course of a few minutes. Although the clinicians did not perform allergy testing or a challenge test, other causes, including medications, supplements, and household exposures, were ruled out with a structured questionnaire. The patient responded well to steroid therapy and did not sustain permanent lung damage (104204).
