The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is warning people of the dangers of taking unlicensed herbal medicines containing aconite.

Aconite has recently been portrayed in the media as herbal valium, however, it is actually an extremely poisonous plant that is toxic to the heart.

It is also known as monkshood and herbal products containing this ingredient could be fatal or cause serious illness if consumed.

The MHRA has received two reports of suspected adverse reactions to aconite, one where a patient suffered kidney problems and another where the person was hospitalised after suffering dizziness and paresthesia.

MHRA Head of Herbal Policy, Richard Woodfield, said it was vital people did not confuse herbal medicines and homeopathic ones.

“Registered homeopathic products that contain aconite are considered acceptably safe as the active ingredient, aconite, is sufficiently diluted,” he said.

“Herbal medicines are made from plants and so can have a very significant effect on the body. In certain cases, such as with aconite, the medicine can be extremely potent.

“This is a classic case where natural does not mean safe.”

Mr Woodfield said recent media attention focused on a celebrity who allegedly took a product containing aconite to calm wedding day nerves.

“With unlicensed herbal medicines, people need to be aware that the standards vary widely and can be poor.

“However, an increasing range of herbal medicines made to assured standards are available on the UK market.”

Registered and licensed herbal medicines can be identified by the traditional herbal registration (THR) or the product licence (PL) number on the label.

Registered homeopathic products can also be identified by checking the label which should say Homeopathic medicinal product without approved therapeutic indications, as well as a homeopathic registration number prefixed with the letters HR.

Any side effects to herbal and homeopathic products can be reported to the MHRA via the Yellow Card Scheme yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk/