FDA Issues Warning About Certain Supplements Substituted with Toxic Yellow Oleander (January 2024)
What’s New
January 26, 2024
The FDA is expanding this Safety Alert to include nine additional products substituted with toxic yellow oleander. The list includes nwl NUTRA Mexican Tejocote Root, EVA NUTRITION Mexican Tejocote Root, ELV King All Natural, Tejocote Root, ELV King Tejocote Root Raiz de Tejocote, Tejocote Root Dietary Supplement Pieces, Science of Alpha Mexican Tejocote Root, Tejo Root Raiz de Tejocote, Brazil Seed, Alipotec Tejocote Root, and Raiz de Tejocote.
The complete list of products can be found in the chart below.
Audience
- All consumers
What is the problem?
- FDA analysis has determined that certain dietary supplements labeled as tejocote (Crataegus mexicana) root or Brazil seed are adulterated because they were tested and found to be substituted with yellow oleander (Thevetia peruviana), a poisonous plant native to Mexico and Central America and a toxic substance of concern to public health officials. In other words, the tested products that were labeled as tejocote or Brazil seed are actually toxic yellow oleander.
Tested Products
As of 1/26/2024, the FDA tested as many as 18 samples, representing the products listed below, and found them to contain yellow oleander:
SELLING FIRM | BRAND | WEBSITE PURCHASED FROM | PRODUCT |
---|---|---|---|
Amazon.com |
nwl NUTRA Mexican Tejocote Root |
Amazon.com |
|
Global Mix Inc. |
EVA NUTRITION Mexican Tejocote Root |
Eva-nutrition.com |
|
Sunset Sales + |
ELV King All Natural Tejocote Root ELV King Tejocote Root Raiz de Tejocote |
Amazon.com |
|
ALIPOTEC RAIZ DE TEJOCOTE |
ALIPOTEC Tejocote Root Dietary Supplement Pieces |
alipotectejocote.com |
|
Natural Supplements, LLC |
Science of ALPHA Mexican Tejocote Root |
Tejocotemexican.com |
|
H and Natural |
H & Natural Tejo Root Raiz de Tejocote H & Natural Brazil Seed |
Handnatural.com |
|
Backstage CTC Seller |
ALIPOTEC Tejocote Root Raiz de Tejocote |
Amazon.com |
|
Amazon.com |
ALIPOTEC Tejocote Root Dietary Supplement Pieces Nutraholics ELV Tejocote Root Dietary Supplement Pieces Nutraholics ELV Nutraking Mexican Tejocote Root Supplement Pieces ALIPOTEC Tejocote Root |
Amazon.com |
|
Global Mix, Inc. |
Niwali Raiz de Tejocote Science of Alpha Mexican Tejocote Root |
Etsy.com |
|
Innovacion Natural, LLC |
ALIPOTEC Tejocote Root Dietary Supplement Pieces |
Innovacionnatural.com |
|
Pastor-Villareal, Inc. |
Tejocotex Tejocote Root |
Amazon.com |
|
Alipotec South TX World Green Nutrition, Inc. |
ALIPOTEC ELV Mexican Tejocote Root |
alipotecus.com |
Recommendations for consumers
- The FDA is advising consumers to stop using and dispose of these products.
- The FDA advises consumers who have taken any of these products of concern to contact their health care provider immediately. Even if these products have not been used recently, consumers should still inform their health care provider about which product they took, so that an appropriate evaluation may be conducted.
- Call 9-1-1 or get emergency medical help right away if you or someone in your care has serious side effects from these products.
- Contact your healthcare provider if you or someone in your care recently ingested these products and have health concerns.
- Consumers can also contact the state poison control center.
Summary and Scope of the Problem
In September 2023, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a report of several tejocote root products found to be substituted with toxic yellow oleander. Based on this report, the FDA initiated an investigation to sample and test additional tejocote root products. As of 1/26/2024, the FDA tested as many as 18 samples, representing the products listed above, and found them to contain yellow oleander.
Based on the FDA’s sampling and testing results thus far, the FDA is also concerned that other products marketed as tejocote root (including with other names such as Crataegus mexicana, Raiz de Tejocote, and Mexican Hawthorn) may contain yellow oleander. Consuming yellow oleander can cause severe adverse health effects and be potentially fatal.
Actions
The FDA is actively working with the third-party platforms where these products are sold.
The FDA’s investigation is ongoing, and the FDA will continue to provide information on any further actions as it becomes available. Products may be added to this advisory. The FDA is working to further address the concerns related to these products and monitoring the market for adverse events, product complaints, and other emerging issues.
Who to Contact
Health care professionals, patients and consumers are encouraged to report complaints and cases of exposure and adverse events to the FDA’s MedWatch Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program.
To report a complaint or adverse event (illness or serious allergic reaction), you can
- Call an FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinator if you wish to speak directly to a person about your problem.
- Complete an electronic Voluntary MedWatch form online.
- Complete a paper Voluntary MedWatch form that can be mailed to FDA.