Case of lead poisoning secondary to intake of herbal medicine for diabetes mellitus in a tertiary care hospital in Kerala

Abstract

Summary

Although most published cases of lead poisoning come from occupational exposures, some traditional remedies may also contain toxic amounts of lead. Here, we report the case of a 58-year-old female who presented with abdominal pain, generalized tiredness, and decreased food intake, with anemia and elevated levels of lead. The patient was found to be taking herbal capsules for diabetes prior to the presentation. This case highlights the need for increased awareness that some herbal remedies may contain potentially harmful levels of heavy metals, and people who use them are at risk of developing associated toxicities.

Learning points

• Individuals who support traditional medicine often incorrectly believe that herbal remedies for diabetes are free from side effects, leading them to favor these treatments over contemporary medications.

• Herbal medications are freely available online, even without a prescription.

• The accessibility of herbal medicines without prescriptions, coupled with the false belief in their lack of side effects, misleads educated individuals toward quackery treatments. Misinformation spread via social media exacerbates this issue.

• Heavy metals are present in toxic levels in the drugs, causing complications.

• Lead is the most common heavy metal found in such herbal medicines.

• Lead poisoning leads to anemia and other systemic complications which could have been fatal if not found in time.