HSA cautions public over consuming mahogany seeds following reports of liver injuries
Seven cases of liver injury following the consumption of mahogany seeds have been reported in Singapore, said the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) in a media statement on Tuesday (11 December).
The fruit of the mahogany seeds – commonly known as “sky fruit”, “buah tunjuk langit” in Malay or “xiang tian guo” in Chinese – are traditionally used in South-east Asian countries to help control blood sugar levels and high blood pressure. However, there have been no clinical studies in humans to support its effectiveness or safety, said the HSA.
The authority noted that, over the past three years, it has received seven reports of liver injury in Singapore, which are suspected to be associated with mahogany seeds, both in raw and capsule form. Of the seven patients – who are in their 40s to 70s – five were hospitalised.
Patients had underlying medical conditions
The patients’ injuries varied in severity, ranging from mild liver function impairment to liver failure. In additional to liver troubles, one patient also suffered a kidney injury, while another had polyarthralgia (multiple joint aches and pain). The patients were reported to have recovered or were recovering after stopping the intake of the suspected products.
Most of the patients have underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and fatty livers, and had been taking other medications concurrently. The liver injuries occurred 30 to 45 days after the consumption of mahogany seeds, except in one patient who suffered the injury six months later.
The patients had eaten mahogany seeds for the purpose of controlling their blood sugar levels, blood pressure or for general well-being. Five of them consumed the seeds in raw form, purchased from different sources in Singapore and Malaysia. Their intake ranged from 10 seeds a month to 18 seeds in a day.
The remaining two patients took the capsule form of the seeds. One such capsule-form product was labelled as “Natural Miracle Healer” which the patient obtained from a blog shop in Singapore, while the other was an unknown brand from Malaysia.
Doctor’s consultation advised
HSA had advised members of the public to be cautious when considering the use of these products. They should also consult their doctors if they wish to try new or complementary remedies that claim to alleviate medical conditions, especially chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure.
Those consuming mahogany seeds should also consult a doctor immediately if they feel unwell or develop liver injury symptoms such as nausea, loss of appetite, lethargy, dark urine or jaundice (the whites of the eyes or the skin turning yellowish).
The authority will continue to monitor the situation closely and will update the public of any significant findings.
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