The Daily Mail, March 2, 2015: First Chinese herbal medicine to be given official authorisation for the UK
A herbal treatment nicknamed ‘pig pungent weed’ has become the first traditional Chinese medicine to be authorised for use in the UK.
The plant Sigesbeckia, which has an unpleasant smell, has traditionally been used to treat aches and pains – including those caused by arthritis. It is the active ingredient in Phynova Joint and Muscle Pain Relief Tablets, which have just been licensed by drug safety watchdog the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency. Many herbal products have vanished from sale in recent years after a 2004 EU directive banned any traditional herbal medicines that were not licensed from being sold.