Significant concentrations of heavy metals have been found in a number of Asian medicines and cosmetics. The herbal baby tonic, Bal Jivan Chamcho contained lead leached from the coating of the spoon with which it was supplied. Some samples of Surma were found to have a lead content as high as 86%. Amongst other metals, mercury, lead and arsenic were found in the aphrodisiac and tonic Kushtay. A Warak which purported to be gold was a copper/zinc alloy.
No mercury was found in the cosmetic Sandurs and Kum-Kum pastes we examined, but unacceptably high concentrations of lead and antimony were found in some pills, and of lead and arsenic in a powder intended for medicinal use.
The use of traditional Asian remedies involves a substantial risk of heavy metal poisoning to which the medical profession should be alerted.
Control by legislation alone would not be effective as many of the preparations are sent by relatives in Asia.