Market Updates

FDA Issues Another Consumer Warning About Yellow Oleander

The agency first began investigating instances of the toxic botanical appearing in 'tejocote' supplements years ago.

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By: Mike Montemarano

Associate Editor, Nutraceuticals World

Photo: shivangi | Adobe Stock

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued another consumer warning about products marketed as “tejocote” being adulterated with a toxic plant called yellow oleander.

The agency first issued a consumer warning in 2023 that weight loss products were associated with yellow oleander, following a joint investigation with the CDC, which found that adulteration was most common in products containing a botanical called Crataegus mexicana, known colloquially as tejocote. The following year, FDA issued another warning following an analysis, concluding that nine “tejocote” supplements it purchased online tested as 100% yellow oleander.

After completing analytical testing of another round of products on Nov. 3, FDA updated its initial report with an additional lineup of products found to be adulterated with yellow oleander. The new products include two products by OBC Group Corp branded as SdB Elite and SdB Semilia de Brasil Tejocote Root, and a product branded as Silueta Ya Mexican Tejocote Roots by Siluetaya, LLC.

According to the agency, “Ingestion of yellow oleander can cause neurologic, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular adverse health effects that may be severe, or even fatal … symptoms include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea, abdominal pain, cardiac changes, dysrhythmia, and more.”

To access FDA’s full report, click here.

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