Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Health Products Huo Li Bao Capsule 500MG & HB' Lite Have Been Withdrawn!!!

According to The Star Online news, 2 health products registered in Malaysia - HUO LI BAO CAPSULE 500MG and HB' LITE have been withdrawn from the market.

"On another matter, he said two capsules touted as health products - Huo Li Bao and HB Lite - have been withdrawn from the market as they were found to be unsafe for use.

He said they were withdrawn on Sept 26 after they were found to contain additives prohibited from use in traditional products.

Dr Hasan said people who have been using these products should stop doing so immediately and seek the advice of a health professional.

"Anyone holding stocks of these products is advised to immediately stop their sale, distribution and use as they are liable to prosecution under the Control of Drugs and Cosmetics Regulations 1984," he added. "

The above information quoted from The Star Online.

"Huo Li Bao was found to contain frusemide and chlorpheniramine while HB Lite was found to contain promethazine," he said in a statement.


Dr Hasan, who is also chairman of the Drug Control Authority, said frusemide or furosemide is a diuretic drug used to reduce swelling resulting from edema and its use can cause serious side effects such as fluid and electrolyte imbalances in the body.

Chlorpheniramine, he said, is an antihistamine drug used in treatments associated with allergic reactions and can cause side effects such as drowsiness and dryness of the mouth that can lead to chronic lung disease. He also said that promethazine contained in HB Lite can cause side effects such as fatal respiratory depression. "It can also cause Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome," he added.

The above information quoted from News Straits Times

The product registration numbers of these 2 products are as below:

HUO LI BAO CAPSULE 500MG - MAL09062214TC

HB' LITE - MAL09032133TC

As shown above, the registration numbers end with TC, which means they are registered as traditional complementary medicine in Malaysia. Frusemide, a commonly used diuretic is group under Poison B, which means it can only be prescribed by a registered medical practitioner (doctor). Chlorpheniramine and Promethazine are both antihistamines under Poison C, which can only be prescribed by a registered medical practitioner or sold by a licensed pharmacist. Consuming the above 3 products without proper monitoring can lead to serious side effects and possibly death. By the way, promethazine is contraindicated in children less than 2 years old.


Huo Li Bao is commonly used to treat arthritis pain.

c) Chlorpheniramine is a type of antihistamine used in allergic reactions, such as hay fever, rhinitis, urticaria, and asthma. Side effects from unsupervised use of chlorpheniramine include drowsiness, confusion and urinary retention.
d) Frusemide is a potent diuretic drug that is used to eliminate water and salt from the body. It can cause a profound increase in the output of urine (diuresis). Excessive diuretic effect of frusemide can cause the depletion of sodium, chloride, body water and other minerals in the body.

The above information quoted from Health Sciences Authority