SCIENCE lies at the heart of the mission of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Agency must rely on cutting edge research, accurate
measurements and effective technology to implement its programs to protect the environment and human health. Without sound science and credible data,
EPA can not wisely set environmental and health standards, clean up contaminated sites, measure ambient air and water quality conditions, or identify the new
technologies or practices that will reduce releases to the environment. These fact sheets share with you some of our EPA New England's laboratory capabilities
and exemplify some of the very best science we do to meet our agency mission.
GOAL:
Ayurveda is a 2,000-year old system of medicine practiced by hundreds of millions of people in India and
in the Indian community worldwide. In recent years, Ayurvedic herbal medicine products have become
increasingly popular in the United States. However, questions have been raised about the safety of these
products. There have been over 50 scattered reports in the medical literature of individuals who had taken
these products developing lead, mercury or arsenic toxicity. For example, lead toxicity associated with these
products has led to fatal infant encephalopathy, congenital paralysis, deafness and developmental delays. In
collaboration with Boston academic researchers, the EPA New England Regional Laboratory has undertaken
studies to determine whether Ayurvedic products contain harmful metals.
KEY CONTACTS:
JANET PAQUIN
Chemist
(617) 918-8308
paquin.janet@epa.gov
ERNEST WATERMAN
Chief, Environmental
Investigations & Analysis
(617) 918-8632
waterman.ernest@epa.gov
ROBERT HILLGER
Senior Science Advisor
(617) 918-8660
hillger.robert@epa.gov
GENERAL INFO:
EPA NEW ENGLAND
REGIONAL LABORATORY
11 Technology Dr.
North Chelmsford, MA 01863
(617) 918-8300
www.epa.gov/ne/lab
TOLL-FREE
CUSTOMER SERVICE
1-800-EPA-7341
THE SCIENCE:
In 2004, a group of Boston researchers, including a
chemist at EPA's regional laboratory,
authored and published a ground-
breaking paper in the Journal of the
American Medical Association (JAMA)
on metals content in Ayurvedic medi-
cines. The study concluded that one
in five Ayurvedic herbal medicine
products produced in South Asia
and available in Boston's South Asian
grocery stores contained potentially
harmful levels of mercury, lead and/
or arsenic. The metal content in the
seventy herbal medicines purchased
at Boston stores were analy2ed by
the regional laboratory.
For a follow-up study published in
JAMA in 2008, the researchers again
asked the regional laboratory to
participate in an analysis of the met-
als content in herbal medicine products sold over the
Internet. The study found that 20.7 percent of the
EPA chemists in
metals analysis lab
Ayurvedic medicines contained lead, arsenic, and/or
mercury at levels exceeding one or
more standards for acceptable daily
intake of toxic metals. Produc.;
manufactured in the United States
and India were equally likely to con-
tain toxic metals.
THE RESULT:
The studies have had repercus-
sions around the world. As a
direct result of this research,
several nations have taken steps
to more strictly regulate the
content and labeling of the prod-
ucts. Closer to home, the regional
laboratory has continued to make
itself available to public health
officials investigating the causes
of poisoning of patients. C , s^v
eral occasions, the laboratory has
analyzed items in the homes of children admitted to
hospitals with lead poisoning.
&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
k Agency
® printed on 100% recycled paper,, with a minimum of 50% post consumer waste, using vegetable-based inks
EPA-901-F-09-012
April 2009
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