Source: Radio New Zealand
The ingredient is found in some natural cold medicines. (File photo) Unsplash
A herb found in natural cold medicine has been linked to nine reports of “hypersensitivity reactions”, including anaphylaxis, in the past three years.
The ingredient known as Andrographis paniculata had recently been reviewed by Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), and officially linked to anaphylaxis there, too.
The nine cases reported in New Zealand since 2023 ranged in seriousness from rash, shortness of breath, swelling, throat tightness and hives, to anaphylaxis, according to the Ministry of Health.
Medsafe had previously put out warnings that the drug could cause these reactions as far back as 2017.
A Ministry of Health spokesperson said: “We continue to remind people to carefully check the listed ingredients in natural health products before use.”
The government was working to modernise how natural health products were regulated in New Zealand.
“The government agreed in September 2024 that natural health products would be regulated under a standalone bill, to be developed following engagement with the natural health products sector.”
But New Zealand Association of Medical Herbalists (NZAMH) spokesperson Dr Sandra Clair said the herb was widely used in Eastern and Western healthcare to prevent and treat acute viral and bacterial infections.
“It has a long history of use in traditional Ayurveda and is also supported by recent Western clinical research confirming its excellent safety record and effectiveness,” she said.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Thai government included Andrographis among its officially used treatments.
Reported side effects were rare, and should be weighed against benefits, which she said were “substantial and well-supported”.
“Many synthetic medicines are associated with not only rare but also frequent side effects,” she said. “However, they remain in use because their overall benefits to patients are deemed to outweigh the risks when used appropriately.”
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
