IF IT looks too good to be true, it probably is. Several "herbal remedies" for erectile dysfunction sold online actually contain the active ingredient from Viagra.
Michael Lamb at Arcadia University in Glenside, Pennsylvania, and colleagues purchased 10 popular "natural" uplifting remedies on the internet and tested them for the presence of sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra. They found the compound, or a similar synthetic drug, in seven of the 10 products – cause for concern because it can be dangerous for people with some medical conditions.
Lamb's work was presented last week at the American Academy of Forensic Sciences meeting in Washington DC.
This article appeared in print under the headline "Herbal Viagra gets a synthetic boost"
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Herbal Viagra actually contains the real thing
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