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21. According to Peter Child of Investigative Science Incorporated,
a Burlington, Ontario, consultancy specializing in laboratory
testing, reference standards for echimidine are unavailable which
makes it difficult for commercial labs to test comfrey products. As
of Feb. 2004, at least one comfrey product manufacturer is trying to
convince the NHPD to accept herbarium specimens (pressed dried
samples of the plant) in lieu of echimidine analysis. But herbarium
specimens may not be a reliable indicator of the absence of
echimidine. The common and russian comfrey (S. x uplandicum)
species are similar botanically and difficult to tell apart.
The current situation effectively means that comfrey products
(except seeds and plants) are illegal to sell in Canada.
[Updated Feb. 21, 2004]
EPHEDRA
BAN
(U.S.)
On
Feb.
6,
2004,
the
United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a ban on
dietary supplements containing the alkaloid ephedrine. As of April
6, 2004, products containing ephedrine will not be legal to sell in
the United States. Click here to read the FDA's news release on the
ban.
Note: Seeds and plants are unaffected by the ban. It is legal to
grow your own ephedra or ma huang for personal use.
Ephedrine is the main stimulant alkaloid found in the traditional
Chinese herb, ma huang. Ma huang is commonly identified as
Ephedra sinica, but several other Asian Ephedra species are sold
and used as ma huang also.
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