Three Children Homeopathic Drugs Recalled Due To Inconsistent Belladonna Levels; How Harmful Is Belladonna?

Three over-the-counter homeopathic drugs for children namely CVS Homeopathic Infants' Teething Tablets, Kids Relief Homeopathic Ear Relief Oral Liquid and CVS Homeopathic Kids Ear Relief Liquid are now being recalled by Raritan Pharmaceuticals. The Raritan Pharmaceuticals recall followed after the U.S. Food & Drug Administration verified an inconsistent level of belladonna in the products compared to what is shown on the labels.

The U.S. FDA conducted tests on the varying levels of belladonna extract from Raritan Pharmaceuticals products to compare the amount declared on the labels. Because of the potential danger of inconsistent doses of belladonna in the products, Raritan Pharmaceuticals issued a voluntary recall of three of their children's medicines.

Those who are currently taking the drugs are advised to stop and contact Raritan Pharmaceuticals for more questions about the recall, NOLA reported. Additionally, consumers who have used the products are advised to report adverse reactions or quality problems to FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program.

It can be recalled that FDA has already issued a warning on the use of homeopathic teething products last month. Director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Dr. Janet Woodcock released a statement to advise, "we recommend parents and caregivers not to give homeopathic teething tablets and gels to children and seek advice from their health care professional for safe alternatives," as per a report from Food Poisoning Bulletin.

But what is belladonna and how harmful is it to one's body? Belladonna, also known as "beautiful lady," was used by women in Italy to enlarge their pupils to give them a more striking appearance according to WebMD. However, it is considered to be dangerous as it can be poisonous when used in large amounts.

Belladonna contains atropine which can cause severe illness and death in high concentrations. "Atropine is fatal in doses as small as 100 mg, which equals 5-50 g of belladonna herb, depending on the potency of the particular plant," as per Encyclopedia.com. Dangerous doses in children could be less so belladonna should not be used unless prescribed by medical experts.

Despite precautions, some belladonna is still used as sedative to relieve bronchial spasms and is also used for Parkinson's disease, colic, and motion sickness. It is regarded as a remedy for pain and is one of the ingredients in ointments for joint pains. Have you tried using belladonna? What can you say about its effects?