At the end of September 2001 the Inspectorate for Health Protection and Veterinary Public Health and the National
Poisons Control Centre (NPCC) were informed about adverse health effects after consumption of a
herbal tea. During consultations it was suggested that Japanese star anise (Illicium anisatum L.), which is known to contain a
neurotoxin, may have been inadvertently mixed into the
herbal tea. In view of the severity of the adverse health effects and the clear association with consumption of a specific
herbal tea, the supplier was urgently advised to withdraw the suspected
herbal tea from the market. A total of 63 persons reported symptoms of general malaise,
nausea and
vomiting 2-4 hours following consumption of the
herbal tea. Twenty-two persons required hospitalisation, of whom 16 due to generalised
tonic-clonic seizures. Medical investigations revealed no underlying pathology and after supportive treatment, the patients were discharged in good health. Morphologic and organoleptic investigations of the suspected
herbal tea indicated that this possibly contained Japanese star anise. NMR analysis of the
herbal tea confirmed the presence of the
neurotoxin anisatin, a non-competitive
GABA-antagonist which can cause hyperactivity of the central nervous system and
tonic-clonic seizures.
CONCLUSION: