FDA Investigation Reveals Tejocote Dietary supplements Include Yellow Oleander

An ongoing investigation from the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) revealed quite a few “dietary dietary supplements” bought on-line contained yellow oleander (Cascabela thevetia), a poisonous plant generally cultivated as a decorative.

In September 2023, FDA issued a client warning about tejocote (Crataegus mexicana) dietary supplements bought from on-line retailers resembling Amazon and Etsy. Tejocote, often known as Mexican hawthorn, is usually marketed as a weight-loss complement. As of Dec. 3, 2024, FDA examined not less than 18 samples, all of which contained yellow oleander.

“FDA evaluation has decided that sure merchandise labeled as tejocote root or Brazil seed are adulterated as a result of they had been examined and located to be substituted with yellow oleander, a toxic plant native to Mexico and Central America and a poisonous substance of concern to public well being officers. In different phrases, the examined merchandise that had been labeled as tejocote or Brazil seed are literally poisonous yellow oleander,” FDA stated in a press release.

In keeping with Mount Sinai Well being System, yellow oleander poisoning may cause signs resembling arrhythmia, low blood strain, blurred imaginative and prescient, hives, diarrhea, nausea, abdomen ache, headache, lethargy, dizziness, melancholy and demise.

“The FDA continues to obtain hostile occasion stories associated to the merchandise recognized on this Security Alert. The company is reminding customers to keep away from these merchandise as a result of they include poisonous yellow oleander and may trigger neurologic, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular hostile well being results that could be extreme, and even deadly,” FDA stated in a press release. “The company continues to speak with corporations promoting these merchandise. Whereas a number of have initiated voluntary recollects, the FDA is worried that merchandise containing poisonous yellow oleander stay on {the marketplace}.”

Inspire Me Ashley, an organization based mostly in San Antonio, TX, issued a voluntary recall on 11 of its VidaSlim model merchandise after FDA’s evaluation.

“Up to now, VidaSlim has not obtained stories of sicknesses associated to the consumption of this product. Within the curiosity of security, this recall is being performed with the information of the U.S. Meals and Drug Administration,” VidaSlim stated in a press release.

For extra data, go to www.fda.gov.