Toxicity

Toxicity[edit]Modern medicine finds thatmercury is inherently toxic, and that its toxicity is not due to the presence of impurities. While mercury does have anti-microbial properties, and formerly waswidely usedin Western medicine, its toxicity does not warrant the risk of using it as a health product in most circumstances.[7]

HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rasa_shastra" \l "cite_note-8" [8]TheCenters for Disease Control and Preventionhave also reported a number of cases of lead poisoning associated with Ayurvedic medicine.[9]Other incidents ofheavy metal poisoninghave been attributed to the use ofrasa shastracompounds in the United States, andarsenichas also been found in some of the preparations, which have been marketed in theUnited Statesunder trade names such as "AyurRelief", "GlucoRite", "Acnenil", "Energize", "Cold Aid", and "Lean Plus".[10]Ayurvedic practitioners claim that these reports of toxicity are due to failure to follow traditional practices in the mass production of these preparations for sale,[11]but modern science finds that not only mercury, but alsolead is inherently toxic. Thegovernment of Indiahas ordered that Ayurvedic products must specify their metallic content directly on the labels of the product;[12]however, M. S. Valiathan noted that "the absence of post-market surveillance and the paucity of test laboratory facilities [in India] make the quality control of Ayurvedic medicines exceedingly difficult at this time.[12]