This is Part II of my little exploration of a unscrupulous company who takes advantage of sick people by selling them herbal remedies under false pretenses. In part I, I told you about the products sold by Oslo Health Solutions, which is by far the worst offender out there that I have found. In Part II, I am sticking with Oslo Health Solutions, and concentrating on the ingredients they claim are beneficial for a very wide variety of serious ailments. I am uncovering new and interesting information every day, none of it good.
I promised you an analysis of the formulations that Oslo Health Solutions (OHS) purport to use for the various ailments that they purport to treat. I performed this exercise a couple of years ago on the Syrotab formulation, what I am now calling "Formulation 1" herein, as it is touted not only for the "guaranteed treatment of Syringomelia" (a condition which cause hideous pain, disablement and eventual death), but as a "guaranteed treatment" for several conditions, including Post-Polio syndrome (potentially crippling), Osteomyelitis (potentially fatal) , Peripheral Neuropathy (often treatable if the underlying cause is located) and Muscular Dystrophy (both crippling AND fatal). My little analysis at the time was done for fun, and it was amusing-if-a-little-scary then. Looking back and knowing what I now know, Formulation 1
The main ingredients are listed as
Zinc Murakab
Berberis aristate
Ext Egg Shell Calcium
Sulphur
Substituted olive Oil
The exact proportion of each ingredient has been deliberately kept secret to avoid imitations of our confidential formula.
LETS BREAK THIS DOWN, SHALL WE?
I could not find any information on these specific formulations of magnesium and zinc. So I looked up the work “Murakab”:
It is an Islamic concept meaning “complex ignorance” See the following explanation:
Hmmm. Something smelled bad. So I kept looking down the ingredients list:
Berberis aristate Ext: OK this is actually something, though misspelled. It is extract from the plant Berberis Aristata, English name Tree Tumeric, the root of which has antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties. (To my eyes, They will need all the anti-inflammatory properties they can get to counterbalance that
"Murakab" jab.)
Egg Shell Calcium (quoi? I know eggshells won't do any harm if ground up finely, but I don't think the type of calcium found in eggshells is can be absorbed by humans)
Sulphur: (in what form? and some people are allergic to sulphur -where's the warning?)
Substituted olive Oil:
Substituted for what? Or more interestingly; what was substituted for olive
oil?
My summary at the time:
Should I ever get the urge to sprinkle my breakfast eggs with tree tumeric,
sulphur and complex ignorance, then eat them shells and all, I will let you
guys know how I get on. In the meantime,. I think that anyone with
Syringomyelia or other conditions should save their money to apply to real
medical expenses.
("Had the effectiveness of Syrotab not been proven beyond any doubt, it
would not be "possible for us to make such a bold claim")
Formulation 2:
The main ingredients, according to Oslo Health Solutions are:
Berberis aristata D.C Ext.
Melia azadirachta Linn Seed
Raphanus satirus Linn
Melia azadirachta Bark
Red earth
Sulphur (purified)
Allium ascalonicum seed
These ingredients, presumably in different combinations (if one is to be kind) are "guaranteed" by OHS to treat the following
Muscular Fasciculation
Kugelberg Welander Syndrome
Pseudotumor Cerebri
Ascites
Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Teething Troubles (Yes. They say you should give it to babies!)
Spasmodic Torticollis
Enlarged Tonsils
Arachnoid Cysts
Multiple System Atrophy
Ameloblastoma
Wiskott Aldrich Syndrome
Horner's Syndrome
Chordoma
Benign Essential Tremor
Myelodysplastic Syndromes
Benign Essential Blepharospasm
Cronkhite-Canada Syndrome
Megaloblastic Anemia
Really.
So I did a little research on
each of these ingredients:
Melia Azadirachta Linn Seed: Azadirachata Indica is an evergreen tree native to India and the region. It is used for medicinal purposes: The bark is used for fever, nausea and skin diseases. The leaves are used for skin diseases -but applied topically.
I couldn't figure out what the seed oil (I presume this is what Linn Seed means) is used for specifically.
Raphanus satirus Linn: I think this might actually refer to Raphanus Sativus Linn, which is the Chinese radish. Its seeds are used for natural medicine in diuretics and laxatives and also to help naso-pharyngeal affections and stomach troubles
Melia azadirachta Bark: Bark from the Azadirachata Indica tree as mentioned previously. The bark is used for fever, nausea and skin diseases.
Red Earth: Um. I think as the description suggests, this is earth (dirt) that is red, from India. It is seems to be used in face packs and the like. I don't know why anyone would eat it, but maybe there is a good reason.
Sulphur (purified): Used in Indian homeopathic medicine. I am not sure what for, exactly
Allium ascalonicum seed: Allium ascalonicum is the common shallot. Shallots appear to contain more flavonoids and phenols than other members of the onion family.
While researching these ingredients, I found them listed in the same order, with the same misspellings, on a site that appears to have nothing (publically) to do with Oslo Health Solutions.
Check out the information for Pileen, a natural remedy for hemmorhoids, which is marketed and sold by Ark
Corporation (Rawalpindi, Pakistan)
Some text from their site:
PILEEN is an effective herbal remedy for
treatment of piles or haemorrhoids. It stops bleeding of haemorrhoids and
relieves pain and inflamation. Pileen also removes the constipation, which is
one of the main cuases of piles. Pileen is equally effective for both (internal
and extrenal) forms of piles.
WHAT IS PILES?
Piles, also known as haemorrhoids, are swollen blood vessels in the back
passage. There are two types of piles - internal or external: Internal piles
are the most common form of the condition and appear as bright red shiny
swellings inside the anal canal, covered in the thin, moist lining of the
rectum. External piles are swollen veins close to the anal opening, covered in
a layer of skin with a dark red or dusky purple appearance and can resemble
bunches of grapes.The main cuases of piles are constipation (for a long period)
and use of too much chillies and spices.
To prevent piles :
- Ensure
that there is adequate roughage (bran, whole grains, green vegetable, and
fruits) in your diet.
- Avoid
alcohol, tea, coffee and very spicy food
- Drink
at least 8 glasses of water daily preferably non-refrigerated.
- If
your life style is sedentary include some exercises in your daily routine.
- Get
yourself treated for any condition that is causing you to strain such as
chronic cough
- Attend
to nature's call daily and do not postpone the urge to defecate, but do
not sit for too long in the toilet.
- Maintain
god hygiene and keep the anal area dry learn to relax mentally and
regularize your life style
- Isabghol
husk can be taken as a bulk forming laxative.
DOSAGE:
Two tablets thrice a day with water.
INGREDIENTS:
Berberis Aristata ,Melia Azedarch, Linn Seed, Raphanus Satirus, Red Earth,
Purified Sulphur, Allium Ascaionicum Seed.
Just a side-by-side look at the ingredients again: Pileen above, multiple OHS products below
Berberis aristata D.C Ext.
Melia azadirachta Linn Seed
Raphanus satirus Linn
Melia azadirachta Bark
Red earth
Sulphur (purified)
Allium ascalonicum seed
Fascinating, huh?
The funniest fact is this: OSH do sell a product called Hemorotab, but the ingredients are
completely different than the hemmorhoid treatment they apparently re-label and
sell to treat MSA and other serious health conditions! Mad, eh? Here is the list for Hemorotab (Hemorotab! I ask you?! Sweet mother of God! I couldn't MAKE this stuff up!)
(The main ingredients of Hemorotab tablets are: Nuqra flakes , Ruby
triturated, Turquoise, Agate green, Bombyx mori, Elettaria cardamomum, Conucilien,
Corallium rubrum, Coral, Sea coconut, Ambra grasea, Aquilaria ovata, Delphinium
denudatum, Doronicum hookeri, Lapis lazuli, Myristica indica, Pearls triturated,
Vateria indica, zehar mohra, Crocus sativus
Hmmmm ...rather heavy on the precious and semi-precious stones, this one. Who knew hemmorhoids were so status-conscious?)
...but I digress...
This one is supposedly for the treatment of Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), which is a bleeding condition in which the blood doesn’t clot as it should due to a low platelet count. OHS's "treatment" for this includes the following.
Ammonium Chloride
Potassium Nitrate
Cinnamomum
Tamala
Rheum Emodi, Wall
Base Q . S
My analysis:
Ammonium Chloride: Salt of Ammonia. Its expectorant action is caused by irritative action on the bronchial mucosa. This causes the production of excess respiratory tract fluid which presumably is easier to cough up. I'm not sure what benefit this woudl have to bleeding or platelets, exactly.
Ammonium salts are an irritant to the gastric mucosa and may induce nausea and vomiting. (Again, not getting the platelet connection
here)
Potassium Nitrate: Salt Peter. A popular misconception was that potassium nitrate caused impotence and it used to be added to food in all-male institutions. This myth has been debunked. However, potassium nitrate and other nitrates do successfully combat
high blood pressure and are used medically to relieve angina. (Fair enough -not that I think ITP causes
either of these problems.) Oh and BTW: Platelets, anyone?
Cinnamomum Tamala: Indian Bay leaf. It is mostly used as a seasoning, but is reputed to help colic, diarrhoea, and "rheumatism". It is also said to reduce blood sugar.
Rheum Emodi, Wall: Reported to be useful in biliousness, chronic bronchitis, asthma, sore eyes and bruises.(OK! Maybe this one is for the platelets!)
Base Q . S: I could only find references to this as a listed ingredient in some shampoo that is supposed to prevent hair loss...
Formulation 4.
For Peptic Ulcer Disease, -the thing that struck me -just looking down this list, was that there is a lot of strong, fragrant substances being sold to soothe a peptic ulcer? Logically, that doesn't compute...
Camphor: Camphor is used in several cough preparations such as Vicks and Buckley's as a cough suppressant and topical analgesic
Menthol: Menthol has analgesic properties that are mediated through a selective activation of κ-opioid receptors. Menthol also enhances the efficacy of ibuprofen in topical applications via vasodilation, which reduces skin barrier function
Oleum anisi: Oil of Anise is employed as an aromatic carminative to
relieve flatulence. The oil may be administered on sugar or as Spiritus or Elixir Anisi. It is a mild expectorant, and is an ingredient of simple cough lozenges, often in combination with liquorice
Oleum carvi: Caraway Oil is used to impart flavor to medicines, and to
correct their nauseating and griping effects
Oleum eucalypti: The oil of eucalyptus (which is chiefly eucalyptol) and eucalyptol, in small doses, are gentle stimulants; in large doses, they occasion irritation of the throat and fauces, with increased flow of saliva; cephalagia, with extreme fatigue; frequency of the pulse; increased temperature; diminution of vascular tension; gastric irritability, and, not unfrequently, diarrhoea, accelerated respiration, the peculiar odor of the oil being exhaled with the breath; and increase of the urinary excretion
Oleum pine: Pine Oil. It is given internally as a disinfectant and expectorant,
Tincture
zingiber: Essence of Ginger used to calm the stomach and also
to treat pneumonia, acute and sub-acute dysentery
Formulation 5
This is purportedly for the treatment of Parkinson's Disease, Soft Tissue Sarcomas and Atrial Fibrillation. It was when I started to go through this particular list that I started to feel like I had stepped into the twilight zone. The lady from whom we bought our house had Parkinson's, and I saw a tiny piece of that that did to her. It is a horrible disease (most of the diseases OHS claim to treat are horrible. This seems to be deliberate). To think that these people are selling the list below (read it) as a "completely guaranteed and clinically proven herbal supplement that helps patients overcome the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease" just makes me want to vomit. Apparently, if I took some parkotab, I might do just that! Read on if you have the stomach for it:
Salvia Haematodes: (from a PubMed article) The aqueous extract of the root of Salvia haematodes has been investigated for its pharmacological actions on the cardiovascular and central nervous system. It was found to possess significant cardiotonic and anticonvulsant activities.
Centauria Behan: Centaurea Behen is the correct spelling. A white flower of the knapweed family. Said to be tonic.
Orchis Mascula: The ground-up root (called Salep) is very nutritive, astringent, expectorant and demulcent. It has been used as a diet of special value for children and convalescents,
Delphinium Denudatum: According to an Indian Medical site: "It helps in reducing the inflammation and also helps in relieving pain. It helps in curbing the infection happening in the body and wounds. It is a good nervine tonic and makes the nervous system strong. It improves digestion and normalizes the peristaltic movements in the gut. It stimulates heart for normal functioning and also helps in purifying the infected blood. It checks the respiratory system by expelling out the extra mucus from it. It is a good aphrodisiac agent and also normalizes the menstrual cycle". (I bet the men with Parkinson's will be pleased to have their cycles regulated. Quick! Call Michael J. Fox!)
Myristica Frargrans: Duplicate entry -a mispelling of Myristica Fragrans (i.e. nutmeg) -see below for details
Cinnamonum Cassia: "Chinese cinnamon", a key ingredient in 5 spice seasoning, but has no medical properties that I could find.
Doronicum Pardalia: Thanks to the misspelling of "Doronicum Pardalis" I found this little gem, from our friends at Ark Corporation in Pakistan.
Aren't misspellings fun?!
Doronicum Pardalis: -no such thing. Doronicum is a plant called leopard's bane and Pardalis is a descriptive word meaning well... leopard! (...so that means...what? leopard's leopard's bane? Leopards bane squared? The mind boggles...)
Zingiber Officinale: Common Ginger. It is often used as a natural remedy for stomach upset, motion sickness, and nausea
Asparagus Racemosus: A plant native to India. It is sometimes used to treat dyspepsia.
Paeonia Emodi: The Himalayan Peony. Not only is it purty,
it actually
has a significant effect on the Central Nervous System. Read this.
I don't know if this is necessarily a beneficial effect for Parkinson's sufferers, however...
Serpentine Bezoar: It sounds like something out of Harry Potter, right? And it almost is. A bezoar is a mass found trapped in the digestive tract of an animal. A hairball is the most common kind (Yum!).
I couldn't find much information about serpetine beozar (outside of references on various OHS sites). I imagine most of the big ones would end up in a serpentine shape (think about it), as opposed to a having been taken from a snake's digestive tract, although maybe that's what they mean. Either way, I am not impressed.
In the middle ages, Beozars were highly prized and considered to be an antidote to any poison; -which theoretically makes it a good thing to put in this particular formulation, given some of the other ingredients therein (see further down the list). But that myth was debunked in 1575.
Pearl Oster: This may refer to the remains of this woman (at this point, I wouldn't put anything past Oslo Health Solutions!)
...or it could mean "Pearl Oyster". This in turn, could either mean pearl oyster mushrooms, or it could refer to actual ground-up pearls (less likely).
Caryophilus Aromaticus, which are cloves
Kushta Qalee: I can't quite figure this one out. It appears to be some kind of substance popular for male performance improvement, It is used in several such products including Ejacutab! (hey look! There's the laughing couple again!)
Stychnos Nuxvomica: Misspelled. This refers to Strychnos Nux-Vomica, which is a product of the Strychnine tree. (Yes, really! Nux Vomica = poision nut!) According to the Internet, It can actually be used to treat flu, fatigue, hangovers, stress, headache and sleeplessness
...and to kill people, of course. Let's not forget that.
Asphaltum: No. This does not refer to ground-up road. Not quite, anyway. Asphaltum does occur naturally and is sold in India as Shilajit (which means destroyer of weakness in Sanskrit -love that!). According to a site I found "it works as a powerful anti oxidant thereby delaying aging. It is an effective remedy in arthritic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout and other joint related problems and back pain".
Amber Gris: Ambergris occurs as a biliary secretian of the intetines of the Sperm whale and can be found floating upon the sea, or in the sand near the coast . Ambergris has been mostly known for its use in creating perfume and fragrance much like musk. During the Middle Ages, Europeans used ambergris as a medication for headaches, colds, epilepsy and other ailments
Bambusa Arundinacea: Thorny Bamboo. It is used as an aphrodisiac, diuretic, demulcent, tonic, pectoral, stimulant, and antifertility treatment.
Myristica Fragrans: Nutmeg! (known as Jaiphal in India) Jaiphal is a aromatic, carminative, hallucinogenic, stimulant that is considered effective in digestive disorder, de-hydration & skin disorders.
I wanted to continue this exercise. There are at least 8 other formulations that I have not covered. But honestly, I am feeling quite ill right now. I think If before, anyone might have thought there may be something to the claims of Oslo Health Solutions, the idea of giving whale bile, posion, hairballs and unstudied anti-convulsants to someone with Parkinson's disease will make them think again.
There will be a Part III in this series, because I still have some questions which I think are relevant. However, in the meantime, here is a list of even more Oslo Health Solutions products I have found while researching this piece.
Hernotab, Hemotab, Hemnotab, Hemorotab, Ejacutab, Phyratab, Fibritab
Is there no end? ...
I think you should send these posts to the FDA. Even with supplements, there's a limit, and some of those have been outlawed. It's possible they could just be making up a placebo type pill but that's false advertising. If they actually are putting these ingredients in pills, there's a lot to evidence physical harm to people.
Posted by: fridawrites | May 28, 2009 at 02:06 PM
I prefer to make up my complex ignorance fresh from scratch in the kitchen. And then I can throw in the table scraps and mouse droppings to get the right consistency. My problem has been marketing the resultant goop. Obviously, I need to declare it Swedish.
All joking aside, this product sounds horrifying. How can something made from hairballs and poison be sold legally?
Posted by: yanub | May 30, 2009 at 01:02 AM
"Should I ever get the urge to sprinkle my breakfast eggs with tree tumeric, sulphur and complex ignorance, then eat them shells and all, I will let you guys know how I get on." LMFAO!
Yanub: also LMFAO.
I wonder if they mean linseed, which is also known as flax. It is edible, but chemically-pressed versions are used extensively in such things as paint-thinning, varnish and such. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linseed_oil
(Again, if it's just edible quality linseed, it's healthy, but I'd wonder about their extraction methods, what with the hairballs and semi-precious stones included!).
But UGH, it's just disgusting that anyone or any company is getting away with marketing this crap to desperate, hopeful people!
Posted by: Lisa Moon | June 01, 2009 at 09:27 PM
Frida,
I am looking into the FDA thing, there is a lot of information out there, but little of it seems to be quite relevant to this types of case.
Yanub, Good plan but be careful. A little complex ignorance goes a long way...
Lisa, thanks. I'm not sure if they mean Linseed, oil, because of the correct name of the plant included. and because because many of the latin names have Linn on the end; -not sure what it means exactly. I *could* look it up, I suppose, but I am all Googled out right now.
Yes it is quite despicable when it is all laid out like that, right? Pretty bad what some people will do to make a buck.
(and interesting that is is ALL in bucks; i.e. American Dollars, despite the fact that all the locations involved claim to be outside of the United States....)
-OSM
Posted by: One Sick Mother | June 02, 2009 at 04:27 PM
Trematab .com has a similar list to formulation II
of your article, "Oslo Health Solutions PotS part II". It is for benign tremors. Thanx for your info.
Posted by: Jim | June 21, 2009 at 10:46 PM
Oh my God! This is a serious matter! I think Oslo Health Solutions must undergo to an investigation.
Posted by: Jasmine | July 22, 2009 at 04:32 AM
OSM- THANKS FOR DOING ALL THAT WORK ! I'M A SUCKER FOR HERBAL & MINERAL REMEDIES. I SEARCHED FOR MUSCULAR DYSTROPHY FORMULAS FOR AN ACQUAINTANCE AND FOUND MD-TAB.COM. IT HAS THE SAME CONTENTS AND GUARANTEE AS SYROTAB FORMULATION 1. I'M SOOO GLAD I SEARCHED THE HERB NAME Berberis aristate Ext , AND FOUND YOUR BLOG. MAYBE I'LL STILL SEE IF I SHOULD BOTHER MAKING A TINCTURE WITH IT. I'LL TRY TO BE LESS NAIVE. LOVING AND CONCERNED PEOPLE LIKE YOU ARE A BLESSING. GOD BLESS THE INTERNET ! REGARDS, JIM 10/1/09
Posted by: JIM LEONE | October 01, 2009 at 07:41 AM
Oh wow! Thank you for this very informative post. I have many natural supplements in my cabinet because I thought they are better thsn synthetic medicines. I didn't realize I need to be careful too with these herbal medicines. I will definitely bookmark this. Thanks again.
Posted by: E-procurement software comparison | November 20, 2009 at 11:11 AM
Блог сделан грамотоно, так держать и дальше. Молодцы!
Posted by: matovnet | November 30, 2009 at 12:57 PM