Ayurvedic medicine: patients in peril from plumbism.

Heavy metals are commonly incorporated into Ayurvedic preparations as ashes or 'bhasmas'. A widely disseminated belief within Ayurvedic medicine is that these heavy metals can be valuable therapeutic components. Western toxicology refutes this contention. We report eight cases of lead poisoning occurring in or near the Auckland region of New Zealand. In all cases, poisoning was attributable to consumption of Ayurvedic 'herbal medicines'. Whole blood lead levels ranged from 1.5 to 6.9 micromol/L. Six patients had symptomatic lead poisoning, requiring treatment with chelation therapy. A high index of suspicion is required to detect lead poisoning, which should be suspected in people taking Ayurvedic remedies, especially if they have associated anaemia or abdominal symptoms.