Overview of acute Chinese medicine poisoning in Hong Kong

Abstract Background Chinese medicine (CM) poisoning is relatively rare in Hong Kong. According to the Department of Health, only 17 cases of self‐medicated Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)‐related poisoning were reported between 2019 and 2021—an average of approximately 5.7 cases per year. Nonetheless, such incidents warrant continued vigilance due to their potential health risks. Generally, the reasons for acute CM poisoning include toxic or contaminated herbals, incorrect usage, or overdosage. Its diagnosis is a multipronged approach, focusing on medical history, identifying specific clinical symptoms, exploring potential herbal sources, and utilizing laboratory test determinations. The major considerations of acute CM poisoning are based on “prevention” and “management,” respectively, to monitor the quality and teach the public to understand CM, which involves safety and rational usage. Method Nine electronic databases, namely, WanFang Data, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, Springer Link, SciFinder, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure, were searched for 20 years to conduct this literature review, without any regard to language constraints. The inclusion criteria with the keywords “acute Chinese medicine poisoning and Hong Kong,” “Chinese medicine poisoning and Hong Kong,” and “acute and Chinese medicine poisoning and Hong Kong”. Acute Chinese medicine poisoning in Hong Kong was evaluated to determine if the Chinese medicine caused acute poisoning through an analysis and summary of all relevant papers in this review. Result Acute CM poisoning, such as toxic herbals consisting of toxic ingredients, including cyclic compounds, alkaloids, glycosides, or acid and base substances; contaminated herbals include misidentification or misuse, adulteration with toxic substances or Western medicine, and contamination with microorganisms, pesticides, and heavy metals; and incorrect usage or overdose since the presence of naturally toxic ingredients in some herbals. These were explained in case studies of acute CM poisoning in Hong Kong. Conclusion This review discussed the current situation, cause, diagnosis, and treatment as well as the prevention of acute CM poisoning in Hong Kong. “Safety,” “Quality,” and “Efficacy” of TCM have a serious relationship with poisoning. Ensuring the quality and correct use of CM, along with effective regulatory oversight to prevent acute poisoning, is an ongoing public health priority.