Circular No. 42/2017/TT-BYT Issuing the Circular on the List of Toxic Herbal Medicines.

This Circular issues a list of toxic herbal medicines of plant, animal, and mineral origin that must be processed according to the methods prescribed by the Ministry of Health before being used in medical practice.

Document No.42/2017/TT-BYT
Document typeCircular
Issuing authorityMinistry of Health
Signed byTrương Quốc Cường — Thứ trưởng
Updated18/06/2026
SectorHealth
FieldPharmaceuticals and Cosmetics
Issued date13/11/2017
Effective date28/12/2018
Expiry date10/10/2024
StatusExpired
✦ Smart summary

This Circular issues a list of toxic herbal medicines of plant, animal, and mineral origin that must be processed according to the methods prescribed by the Ministry of Health before being used in medical practice.

Scope of application

For medicinal herb production and trading establishments and organizations and individuals related to the use of toxic herbal medicines in treatment.

Key points

  • Plant-based herbal medicines: including 38 types such as Bocopa monnieri, Pinellia ternata, Ophiopogon japonicus...
  • Animal-based herbal medicines: including 4 types such as Blister Beetle, Chinese Alligator, Bombyx Batryticatus, Gecko.
  • Mineral-based herbal medicines: including 8 types such as Realgar, Cinnabar, Arsenic Trioxide.
  • Processing according to the prescribed method before use to ensure user safety.
  • The listed herbal medicines must comply with management and circulation regulations within the healthcare sector.

🌐 Social impact of this document

  • Minimize the risk of poisoning due to improper use of toxic herbal medicines.
  • Ensure quality, efficacy, and safety when using herbal medicines in disease treatment.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Which herbal medicines are listed in this catalog?

The catalog includes 38 types of plant-based herbal medicines, 4 from animals, and 8 mineral-based herbal medicines with toxicity.

Why must these herbal medicines be processed according to the prescribed method before use?

To minimize the risk of poisoning and ensure user safety during the treatment process.

Full text

MINISTRY OF HEALTH
-------

SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF VIET NAM
Independence - Freedom - Happiness
---------------

Number: 42/2017/TT-BYT

Hanoi, November 13, 2017

 

CIRCULAR

ISSUING THE LIST OF TOXIC DRUG RAW MATERIALS

Based on the Drug Law No. 105/2016/QH13 dated April 6, 2016;

Pursuant to Decree No. 75/2017/NĐ-CP dated June 20, 2017 of the Government stipulating the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Health;

At the proposal of the Director of the Traditional Medicine Management Department;

The Minister of Health issues the Circular on the List of Toxic Herbal Medicines.

Article 1. Scope of Regulation

This Circular stipulates the principles for building, criteria for selecting toxic herbal medicines; the List of Toxic Herbal Medicines and responsibilities for implementation.

Article 2. Principles for Building and Criteria for Selecting Raw Materials into the List of Toxic Drug Raw Materials

1. Principles for Building the List of Toxic Drug Raw Materials:

a) Ensuring safety for users;

b) Ensuring timely access to medicines and herbal medicines for users;

c) Being consistent with the actual use and supply of herbal medicines in Vietnam;

d) Harmonizing with the principles and regulations on classifying toxic herbal medicines in countries in the region and worldwide;

đ) Being consistent with medical literature on the use of herbal medicines, experience in using toxic herbal medicines, databases on toxic herbs globally, scientific journal articles, and other relevant materials;

2. Criteria for selecting herbal medicines for inclusion in the List of Toxic Herbal Medicines:

Herbal medicines that meet the following criteria will be considered for inclusion in the List of Toxic Herbal Medicines:

a) Herbal medicines used as drugs with high toxicity that adversely affect the health and lives of users;

b) Herbal medicines during use may cause serious adverse reactions known or recommended by the World Health Organization, competent authorities in Vietnam or abroad to potentially cause serious adverse reactions;

c) Herbal medicines used as drugs require careful attention to usage methods, strict control over dosage, user groups, and must be processed according to strict procedures and correct techniques;

d) Herbal medicines have a narrow dosage range, requiring cautious use, affecting diagnosis and treatment of diseases, and clinical monitoring is necessary;

đ) Must be prescribed under the supervision and follow-up of a physician when indicated for treatment;

Article 3. List of Toxic Drug Raw Materials

Attached to this Circular is the "List of Toxic Herbal Medicines" including:

1. The List of toxic plant-based herbal medicines specified in Appendix I.

2. The List of toxic animal-based herbal medicines specified in Appendix III.

3. The List of toxic mineral-based herbal medicines specified in Appendix III.

Article 4. Purpose of issuing the List of Toxic Herbal Medicines

The List of Toxic Herbal Medicines serves as the basis for competent state management agencies to implement regulations governing toxic herbal medicines in business operations, registration, labeling, prescription writing, distribution, processing, storage, use, inspection, testing, violation handling, and other related activities.

Article 5. Effective Date

1. This Circular takes effect from December 28, 2017.

2. Circular No. 33/2012/TT-BYT dated December 28, 2012, issued by the Minister of Health on the issuance of the List of Toxic Herbal Medicines Used as Drugs in Vietnam shall cease to be effective from the date this Circular takes effect.

Article 6. Transitional Provisions

1. In cases where drugs containing parts with toxicity of herbal medicines listed in the List of Toxic Herbal Medicines have been granted circulation permits still valid before the date this Circular takes effect, pharmaceutical businesses must classify, update, and supplement information on labels and usage instructions related to the classification of herbal medicines as stipulated in this Circular before putting the drugs on the market before January 1, 2018.

2. In cases where drugs containing toxic herbal medicines have submitted registration applications but not yet completed before the date this Circular takes effect, pharmaceutical businesses must supplement information on labels and usage instructions related to the classification of herbal medicines as stipulated in this Circular.

Article 7. Responsibility for Implementation

1. Responsibilities of Pharmaceutical Entities and Medical Examination and Treatment Facilities:

a) Implement regulations on managing toxic herbal medicines according to special control drug regulations issued by the Minister of Health;

b) Propose amendments and supplements to the List of Toxic Herbal Medicines to ensure they are up-to-date with practical situations, ensuring timely provision of drugs and herbal medicines for disease prevention and treatment.

2. Responsibilities of the Traditional Medicine Management Department:

a) Take the lead and coordinate with relevant agencies to implement this Circular;

b) Regularly review, revise, and supplement the List of Toxic Herbal Medicines based on proposals for amendments and supplements from units or medical literature, or reports on adverse drug reactions related to the toxicity of herbal medicines, and report to the Minister of Health.

During implementation, if there are any issues, please promptly reflect them to the Traditional Medicine Management Department (Ministry of Health) for consideration and resolution./.

 


Place of Receipt:
- Government Office (Official Gazette, Government Portal Website);
- Minister (for reporting);
- Deputy Ministers of Health;
- Ministry of Justice (Legal Compliance Inspection Bureau);
- Provincial People's Committees, Municipal People's Committees directly under the Central Government;
- Departments/Councils of the Ministry of Health;
- Department of Health of the province or centrally governed city;
- Councils: Military Medicine - Ministry of National Defense; Public Security Medicine - Ministry of Public Security; Transportation Health Council - Ministry of Transport;
- Pharmaceutical enterprises engaged in herbal medicine trade, herbal medicine production, traditional medicine;
- Vietnam Pharmaceutical Corporation;
- Vietnam Pharmaceutical Business Association;
- Ministry of Health's Electronic Information Portal;
- File: VT, PC, YDCT.

DEPUTY MINISTER
DEPUTY MINISTER




Trương Quốc Cường

 

ANNEX I

LIST OF TOXIC HERBAL MEDICINES OF PLANT ORIGIN
(Issued together with Circular No. 42/2017/TT-BYT dated November 13, 2017, by the Minister of Health)

No.

Name of medicinal substance

Scientific name of medicinal plants

Toxic parts used as medicine

Other names

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

1

Three beans (*)

Croton tiglium L., family Spurge (Euphorbiaceae)

Seed

Semen Crotonis tiglii

Seedpod, Màn đề, Three seeds, Old Yangzi, Mac vat

2

Southern Ba Dou (*)

Jatropha curcas L., family Spurge (Euphorbiaceae)

Seed

Semen Jatrophae curcas

Sesame oil, Sesame rape, East tree, Nhao (Tay)

3

White flower snake

Plumbago zeylanica L., family Plumbaginaceae (Plumbaginaceae)

Root, leaf

Folium, Radix Plumbaginis zeylanicae

Snow flower, Zeylanic plumbago

4

Southern Pinellia (*)

Typhonium trilobatum (L.) Schott., family Arum (Araceae)

Rootstock

Rhizoma Typhonii trilobati

Choc root, Three-leaved leaf, Mouse chok

5

Northern Pinellia (*)

Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Breit., family Arum (Araceae)

Root, stem

Rhizoma Pinelliae ternatae

Chinese Pinellia

6

Belladonna

Atropa belladonna L., family Nightshade (Solanaceae)

Leaf, root, seed

Folium, caulis, fructus, Semen Atropae belladonae

 

7

Thornapple

Datura metel L. form alba., family Nightshade (Solanaceae) (Solanaceae)

Flower, leaf

Flos, Folium Daturae metelis

Mandala, Devil's trumpet, Six-pointed nightshade

8

Licorice vine (***)

Abrus precatorius L., family Legume (Fabaceae)

Seed

Semen Abri precatorii

Coral creeper, Chi vine, Love pea, Similar pea

9

Kansui root (*)

Euphorbia sieboldiana Morren et Decaisne., family Spurge (Euphorbiaceae)

Root

Radix Euphorbiae sieblodianae

 

10

Medicine seedpod

Lobelia pyramidalis Wall., family Lobelia (Lobeliaceae)

Whole plant

Herba Lobeliae pyramidalis

Sang ding (H'Mong)

11

Wormseed

Chenopodium ambrosioides L., family Goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae)

Essential oil

Oil

Goosefoot, earth sage

12

Madagascar periwinkle

Rose periwinkle L., family Dogbane (Apocynaceae)

Leaf

Herba Roseae

Longevity flower

13

Yellow rehmannia

Digitalis purpurea L., Digitalis spp., family Figwort (Scrophulariaceae)

Leaf

Folium Digitalis

Digitalis

14

Peking spurge

Euphorbia pekinensis Rupr., family Spurge (Euphorbiaceae)

Root

Root of Peking Euphorbia

 

15

Peach kernel (*)

Prunus persicae (L.) Batsch, family Rosaceae

Seed

Semen Pruni

 

16

Giam đẹp

Mitragyna speciosa (Korth.) Havil., family Rubiaceae

Leaves, bark, and roots

Folium, cortex, caulis Mitragynae speciosae

 

17

Bitter Apricot Kernel (*)

Prunus armeniaca L., family Rosaceae

Seed

Semen Armeniacae amarum

Bitter Apricot Kernel

18

Stramonium (*)

Strychnos wallichiana Steud. ex DC., family Loganiaceae

Bark of trunk and branches

Cortex Strychni wallichianae

Cortex

19

Nerium oleander leaf

Nerium oleander L., Nerium indicum Miller, family Apocynaceae

Leaf

Folium Nerii oleanderis

 

20

Lobelia

Lobelia nicotianifolia Roth ex Schult, family Lobeliaceae

Whole plant

Herba Lobeliae inflatae

 

21

Male Lu lu

Solanum nigrum L., family Nightshade (Solanaceae)

Whole plant

Herba Solani nigri

 

22

Ephedra

Ephedra sinica Staff. E. equisetina Bunge. E. intermedia Schrenk. et C. A. Meyer; family Ephedraceae

Above-ground parts

Herba Ephedrae

 

23

Aristolochia

spp., including: A. contorta Bunge; A. debilis Sieb.et Zucc., family Aristolochiaceae Fructus Aristolochiae

Root Radix Aristolochiae Fruit Herba Aristolochiae

Above-ground parts

Tree with torn skin

Genkwa

24

Daphne genkwa

Siebold & Zuccarini, family Thymelaeaceae Flos Daphnes genkwae

Seed

Dammar

Brucea sumatrana

25

, family Simaroubaceae

Fructus Bruceae sumatranaeSeeds of Brucea sumatrana

Climbing stem

Caulis Aristolochiae

 

26

Rat's Soursop

Aconitum spp. A. fortunei

Flower

Hemsl.;

 

27

A. carmichaeli

Debx., family RanunculaceaeRoot tuber branch

Seed

Bear paw, Lesser bear paw, Grass aconite, Sichuan aconite

Aconitum spp.,

Main root tuber

28

Bear paw, Lesser bear paw, Grass aconite, Sichuan aconite

Pilocarpusincluding: Pilocarpus spp. , family Rutaceae Folium Pilocarpi Guang Fangji

A. westlandii

Radix Aconiti

Hemsl..;

29

A. heterophylla

Hemsl.,... family Aristolochiaceae including: Pilocarpus spp. , family Rutaceae Folium Pilocarpi Guang Fangji

Stone calamus (*)

Radix Aconiti

Acorus gramineus

30

Soland.

var. macrospadiceusYamamoto Contr.;

Leaf

Acorus calamus L. var. angustatus

 

31

Bess., family Araceae

Fructus Bruceae sumatranaeincluding: Rhizoma Acori Calamus, Stone calamus with large leaves, Water calamus. Castor bean Ricinus communis

Root

Radix Aristolochiae

 

32

Semen Ricini communis

Tymallus, Castor bean Arisaema spp. A. consanguineum Schott; A. heterophyllum Blume, family Araceae

Rootstock

Living Heavenly Immortal

Hyoscyamus niger

33

L., leaves and seeds

Folium, semen Hyoscyami nigeris L., family Spurge (Euphorbiaceae)

Seed

Skyward

Thevetia peruviana

34

Pinellia tuber (*)

Pers., family Apocynaceaeincluding: Semen Thevetiae peruvianae Phytolacca esculenta

Van Hout., family Phytolaccaceae Radix Phytolaccae esculentae

Rootstock

Rhizoma Arisaematis

 

35

Goldenroot, Longevity

Garlic Lily L., family Nightshade (Solanaceae)

Colchicum autumnale

L., family Colchicaceae

 

36

Semen Colchici autumnalis

Longevity Cycas revoluta

Seed

, family Cycadaceae

 

37

Phytolacca root (*)

Seeds, leaves, cones, roots Semen, Folium, Conus et Radix Cycatis Revolutae.

Root

Elephant's Trunk

Heliotropium indicum

38

L., family Boraginaceae

Herba Heliotropii Centipede

Seed

Melia azedarach

 

39

L., family Meliaceae

Bark of trunk, thick branches, and roots(*) Is a medicinal material that must be processed according to the processing method prescribed by the Minister of Health before being used as medicine.

(**) Is a medicinal material for external use only (not for oral administration) (***) Is a medicinal material where the part containing toxicity listed in the Catalogue does not contain toxicity, while other parts used as medicine do.

 

40

LIST OF MEDICINAL MATERIALS WITH TOXICITY FROM ANIMAL SOURCES

Scientific name of animal Part containing toxicity used as medicine

Whole plant

Ground beetle (*)

Catharsius molossus

41

Melia bark

L., family Ground Beetles (Geotrupidae) Body without head, legs, wings

Chinese Angelica

Cortex Meliae

 

Centipede (*)

Scolopendra morsitans

, family Centipedes (Scolopendridae)

 

ANNEX II

Whole body
(Issued together with Circular No. 42/2017/TT-BYT dated November 13, 2017, by the Minister of Health)

No.

Name of medicinal substance

, Remove intestines, remove head, blanch, stir-fry until golden yellow

Centipede, Thousand-foot insect, Hundred-legs insect, Hundred-feet insect

Other names

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

1

Scarlet Beetle (*)

Mylabris cichorii Mylabris phalerata

Pallas, family Scarlet Beetles (Meloidae)

Whole body

2

Scarlet Beetle, Original purity, Scarlet man, Scarlet hair, Bean worm

Toad (*) L.Bufo melanostictus Schneider, Bufo gargarizans Cantor

, family Toads (Bufonidae) ScolopendraToad secretion (latex)

Whole Gecko (*)

3

Buthus martensii

Karsch, family Scorpions (Buthidae) L., Scorpion, Whole insect, Scorpion tail, Scorpion seed. (*) Is a medicinal material that must be processed according to the processing method prescribed by the Minister of Health before being used as medicine.

LIST OF MEDICINAL MATERIALS WITH TOXICITY FROM MINERAL SOURCES

Mylabris

Scientific name of mineral

4

Mirabilite (*)

BoraxSodium tetraborate (Na

Venom from glands behind the ears and on the skin of the frog Venenum Bufonis

.10H

5

O)

Mirabilite, Snowflake, Mirabilite, Snowflake, Snowflake, Moonstone Red Cinnabar (*)

, family Toads (Bufonidae)

Scorpio

Minium

Lead oxide (Pb

 

ANNEX III

Red Cinnabar, Yellow Cinnabar, Red Cinnabar, Cinnabar Powder, Pine Cinnabar, Pearl Cinnabar, Pearl Powder
(Issued together with Circular No. 42/2017/TT-BYT dated November 13, 2017, by the Minister of Health)

No.

Name of medicinal substance

Red Cinnabar Powder (*)

Main chemical component

Other names

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

(5)

1

Cerussite

Lead carbonate, usually contains Ag, Sr, Zn, Cs

White Cinnabar Powder2B4O7Realgar, Dragon's Blood, Goldstone, Red Cinnabar Powder, Mercury Powder, Orange Powder2Cinnabar (*)

Litharge

2

Lead oxide (PbO), a small amount of unoxidized lead and impurities such as Al

, Sb

, Fe3O4).

, Ca

3

, Mg

Lead Glaze, Cinnabar, Cinnabar Seed, Red Cinnabar, Red Powder, Red Cinnabar Seed, Red Powder

Cinnabar Sulfide (HgS).

Cinnabar, Red Cinnabar, Cinnabar Seed, Red Powder, Red Cinnabar Seed, Red Powder

4

Realgar (*)

Realgar

Arsenic disulfide (As2Provincial People's Committees set specific prices2).

Stone yellow, Trustworthy, Golden stone

5

Mercury chloride sublimate (*)

Calomelas

Mercury chloride sublimate

Red part, Mercury powder, Orange powder

6

Sulphur (*)

Sulfur

Pure sulfur

Salt well, Yellow rice, Realgar, Orpiment

7

Muc da tang (*)

Litharge

Lead oxide (PbO), a small portion of unoxidized lead and impurities such as Al3+, Sb3+, Sb4+, Fe3+, Ca2+, Mg2+.

Li tac, Da tang, Gold da tang, Lo de

8

Cinnabar (*)

Cinnabaris

Mercury sulfide (HgS).

Cinnabar, Red cinnabar, Single cinnabar, Red pill, Official cinnabar

Centipede (*)

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