Beware two products with potent medicinal ingredients, HSA warns – The Straits Times

The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has warned the public to avoid buying or consuming two products as they contain potent medicinal ingredients that should not be used without medical supervision.

The authority said in a statement yesterday that tests on Lung Tan Tsao found it contained a steroid and an antihistamine, while Candy B+ Coffee Extra Power had dangerously high levels of a medicine used to treat erectile dysfunction.

Lung Tan Tsao, touted as a health tonic containing a variety of natural herbs, is labelled as a relief for various conditions - including eczema, allergies and pain.

A woman in her 40s experienced weight gain and swelling of the face after taking Lung Tan Tsao, which she obtained from a friend who bought it in Malaysia. Her doctor became suspicious of the product after it cleared the woman's eczema as rapidly as prescription medicine would, and reported it to HSA.

HSA said it found chlorpheniramine, an antihistamine, and dexamethasone, a steroid, in the product. Long-term unsupervised use of steroids can cause increased blood glucose levels, which may lead to diabetes. It can also cause Cushing's syndrome, characterised by a round or "moon face" appearance and upper body obesity with thin limbs.

Anyone who has taken Lung Tan Tsao should stop consuming it and see a doctor as soon as possible, said HSA, adding that "discontinuation of steroids without proper medical supervision can cause serious withdrawal symptoms such as fatigue, confusion and low blood pressure".

HSA also issued a warning about Candy B+ Coffee Extra Power, found to contain over 50 times the usual daily dose of tadalafil, an erectile dysfunction medication. HSA said: "When used without medical supervision, tadalafil can increase risk of stroke and heart attack."

Candy B+ Coffee Extra Power is not sold here, but was detected in a package from an overseas online seller by Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officers from the Air Cargo Command, who referred the parcel to HSA. The product was labelled as a "superfood" and claims it contains known herbal ingredients like tongkat ali extract, sky fruit extract and maca powder.

It also carried Good Manufacturing Practice and NSF International logos on its packaging. HSA said: "The misuse of quality certification logos on the product aimed to mislead consumers into thinking that the product is safe and manufactured under high quality standards, but there is no way of verifying if these logos are authentic."

Users are advised to stop taking Candy B+ Coffee Extra Power immediately and consult a doctor if they feel unwell or are concerned about their health, HSA added.

It is illegal to sell both Lung Tan Tsao and Candy B+ Coffee Extra Power in Singapore as they contain potent medicinal ingredients, said HSA. Anyone convicted of doing so can be jailed for up to two years, fined up to $10,000, or both.

Cheryl Tan

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Beware two products with potent medicinal ingredients, HSA warns - The Straits Times