Unani Products: Safety, Heavy Metals and Quality

Urgent first

If someone is very unwell after taking a traditional or herbal product, or a child may have swallowed one, seek emergency care now. In the US call 911, or Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222. Bring the product and its packaging. See poisoning: what to do first and poison help by country.

The main safety question is the product

Most safety problems with traditional medicines come less from the tradition than from what is actually in the bottle, the powder or the paste. WHO's practice benchmarks for Unani medicine say these medicines can cause harm through contamination, adulteration, misidentification, use of the wrong herbal species, or use above accepted amounts. They add that improperly prepared medicines can be unsafe. [1] A 2002 review of non-allopathic Indian medicines (Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and homeopathy) named quality and purity issues and misuse among the main challenges. [2]

WHO's training benchmarks list the kinds of harm practitioners should be able to recognize: allergic reactions, toxic effects on the heart, liver or kidneys, irritant or purgative effects, medicines containing metals, minerals or poisonous substances, and interactions with other drugs and with food. [3]

Heavy metals: what is known

Proper evidence not found for a large independent survey of heavy metals in finished Unani products. We searched PubMed and regulators' pages on 2026-10-22 and found no Unani-specific market survey. So the figures below are for related South Asian products, mostly Ayurvedic, and show what can happen. They do not give a rate for Unani products.

• Unani uses calcined minerals. WHO lists medicines containing metals or minerals among Unani safety concerns. [3] A laboratory study of a mercury-based kushta, prepared by the authors, found no mercury phase on X-ray analysis but found arsenic at parts-per-million level. [4] It is one preparation, not a safety guarantee for products on sale.
• Ayurvedic products bought online. A 2008 JAMA study of 193 products found 20.7% had detectable lead, mercury or arsenic. Products made with metals on purpose (rasa shastra) had more (40.6% versus 17.1%), and all metal-containing products exceeded at least one daily-intake standard. [5]
• Poisoning investigations. New York City tested 584 remedies over ten years. Adults using rasa shastra medicines had higher blood lead than users of other remedies. [6]
• A regulator's warning. In April 2025 New Zealand's Medsafe said testing found some Ayurvedic products with high arsenic and mercury, and advised extra caution with products that have no packaging or label or come from uncertain sources. [7]

For metals in the closest tradition, read Ayurvedic products: heavy metals and product quality.

Hidden prescription drugs

Some products sold as herbal or traditional have been found to contain undeclared drugs. In India, screening of 120 "alternative medicine" samples, most sent in by doctors or patients who suspected a problem, found 38.32% contained corticosteroids. [8] In another Indian study, 58 Ayurvedic or herbal products were tested. Dexamethasone and diclofenac were found in ten, and every adulterated product had been sold by a practitioner rather than a manufacturer or pharmacy. [9] Neither study reported Unani products separately. If you have used a product for a long time and are unsure what is in it, ask a doctor or pharmacist how to find out.

Animal studies

Safety studies in animals are preclinical. One 90-day study in rats of a classical Unani semisolid formula found no toxic effects at the tested amounts. [10] That is useful for researchers but does not show a formula is safe for every person or for long-term use.

Who needs extra care

• Pregnancy and children. WHO's practice benchmarks say vigorous procedures such as purgation and induced vomiting are contraindicated in children and pregnant women. [1] See pregnancy and breastfeeding and children and teens.
• Older adults and people on medicines. WHO lists drug interactions among the concerns. [3] See medicine interactions, liver safety and older adults.
• Before surgery. Tell the surgical team about any traditional product. See supplements before surgery.

How rules differ

India requires manufacturers of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani drugs to hold a state licence, follow Schedule T good manufacturing practice and meet pharmacopoeial standards. [11] The Ministry of Ayush also runs a pharmacovigilance program through which consumers can lodge complaints. [11] In Pakistan, DRAP enlists Unani and other alternative medicines. [12] WHO says that where a country has no specific Unani rules, it should apply its rules for traditional or herbal medicines. [1] In the US and many other places, rules for supplements differ; see how supplements are regulated.

Practical steps

• Choose products with a complete ingredient list, a named maker and, where your country requires one, a licence or registration number you can check with the regulator.
• Be cautious with unlabeled products, products from informal sellers, or items brought from abroad. See unsafe products and warnings.
• Show your doctor or pharmacist the actual product.
• Never stop a prescribed medicine for a traditional remedy.
• Report a bad reaction to your clinician and the product regulator. See side effects and reporting.