Toxicities of Herbal Teas
Because manufacturers are not required to list potential toxicities on the labels, consumers may unknowingly exposed to harmful substances.
More than 30 herbal teas contain substances that cause serious toxicities, including liver, GI tract, nervous system, and circulatory system disorders.
Chaparral, an herbal preparation made from the leaves of the creosote bush (Larrea tridentate) of the American southwest desert, is used in teas capsules and tablet preparations.
Chaparral is promoted for the treatment of cancer, to retard aging, and as a free radical scavenger because of its antioxidant properties.
In December 1992, the FDA Center for Food safety and Applied Nutrition issued a warning suggesting a potential link between chaparral use and liver toxicity after six cases of hepatitis were reported after consumption of the herb. Some of the serious liver problems required hospitalization.
An herbal tea containing woodruff, melilot and tonka beans produced abnormal clotting function and mild clinical bleeding due to its high content of natural anticoagulants called coumadins.
Deaths have also been reported from the use of herbal teas made from oleander leaves (Nerium oleander) that are rich in toxic cardiac glycosides and mistletoe berries (Viscum album) that contain viscotoxin and other toxic principles.
Using herbal teas in home remedies for common childhood illness may trigger serious health problems for child.
Peppermint and chamomile teas are commonly used among Mexican-American populations. Their prolonged use, in the absence of normal food, may result in water intoxication and seizures in young children resulting from an inadequate sodium intake.
Furthermore, many herbal beverages are actually a concoction of several herbs. With the lack of comprehensive data on individual herbs, it is difficult to predict the combined effect of a complex mixture of herbs that may act in concert, in conflict or synergistically with each other.
Toxicities of Herbal Teas
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