Ayurvedic Remedy "Balguti Kesaria" Identified as Potential Lead Hazard

Message Details
Date Sent: 08/03/2017 01:31 PM EDT
Sender: Michigan Health Alert Network
Subject: Ayurvedic Remedy "Balguti Kesaria" Identified as Potential Lead Hazard

Message:
Summary:
Two children in southeast Michigan have tested with elevated blood lead levels after consuming Balguti Kesaria. Elevated blood lead levels are harmful to a person’s health, and can cause damage to the brain and nervous system, slowed growth and development, learning and behavior problems, hearing and speech problems.
Background:
Balguti Kesaria, an ayurvedic remedy, which is ground up and given to infants, is claimed to “… ensure proper digestion and bowel movement and improve the immune system, preventing colds, coughs, and fever”.
Samples of Balguti Kesaria collected from the homes of the two children with elevated blood lead levels were found to contain very high amounts of lead. The families of the children indicated that they had this product mailed to them from relatives in India. However, a product by the same name can be bought online and shipped to the United States.
Excessive lead in this product and other ayurvedic medicines has been reported in the medical literature (source).
Recommendations:

• Immediately discontinue all use of Balguti Kesaria. 
• Blood lead testing for all persons who may have consumed or came in contact with Balguti Kesaria. This includes anyone who did the grinding of the Balguti Kesaria, since the dust raised during the process of grinding the pills can be a source of lead exposure. Exposed individuals should talk with their primary care provider about getting a blood lead test. 
• If anyone comes across a product that fits this description, please contact the MDHHS Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program at 517-335-8350 
• If there are clinical questions about lead exposure and lead poisoning, call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222
• If there is a medical emergency, call 9-1-1.

For More Information:
Lead Poisoning and Lead Poisoning Prevention - www.michigan.gov/lead
--This message is being sent to the following statewide MIHAN roles: Emergency Preparedness | Environmental | Epidemiology | Health Officer | Laboratory | Physician / Medical Director--