1Research Institute of Oriental Medicine, Dongguk University
2Dept. of Internal Medicine, College of Korean Medicine, Dongguk University
Correspondence to : 한창호 (Chang-ho Han), 780-714 경상북도 경주시 동대로 123 동국대학교 한의과대학 내과학교실, Tel : +82-54-770-1257, FAX : +82-54-770-1500, E-mail : hani@dongguk.ac.kr
Received March 19, 2015 Revised March 25, 2015 Accepted March 25, 2015
The purpose of this study was to understand the status of reporting and characteristics of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) induced by herbal drugs and to make a suggestion for the domestic pharmacovigilance system on herbal medicine.
Methods:
We carried out a hospital-based observational study at Dongguk University Ilsan Oriental Hospital from April 2012 to December 2014. We reviewed all the herbal-drug-associated ADRs reports registered to the spontaneous ADR reporting system in electronic medical records of the hospital in the period.
Results:
We found out 101 reports including 163 herbal-drug-associated ADRs from 97 patients. Females (69.3%) outnumbered males and the most frequent age group was the 50s (44, 27.0%). No serious adverse event was observed. The most commonly reported ADR was gastro-intestinal system disorders (68, 41.5%) followed by skin-related disorders (42, 25.8%). Diarrhea (29, 17.8%) was the most frequently referred clinical manifestation. Most ADRs were induced by internal medicines (160, 98.2%) including manufactured (36, 22.1%) and self-prepared decoction (160, 76.1%). The pairs of Igi-hwan-diarrhea, gamiboa-tang-vomiting, and Magnoliae Flos-gastro-intestinal-system-related ADRs were observed twice each and the others appeared only once.
Conclusions:
We propose Korean government to take an initiative in national pharmacovigilance system for herbal medicine. To perform the surveillance on herbal drugs, the Association of Korean Medicine (AKOM) should set up a nationwide network by designating centers connecting the Korean medical hospitals, local Korean medicine clinics, and the public health centers. The government and AKOM should also educate and encourage them to understand the pharmacovigilance system and report the ADRs actively.
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