The Health Ministry has advised the public not to buy or use unregistered products sold as traditional medicines under Creative Health Resources (CHR) and CHR Creative Herbs Nutrition.

Health director-general Datuk Dr Noor Hisham Abdullah said tests from samples of the products found them to be adulterated with Dexamethasone and Chlorpheniramine, both of which were controlled under the Poisons Act 1952.

The National Centre for Adverse Drug Reactions Monitoring has received reports on adverse effects such as weight gain, bloating stomach, moon face and the weakness of the adrenal gland function, he said in a statement Friday night, on the website kpkesihatan.com.

He said the long term use of dexamethasone without supervision could lead to bone loss, hypertension and cataracts and it could cause serious complications for diabetics.

Dr Noor Hisham added the side-effects of chlorpheniramine included drowsiness, blurred vision, vomiting, constipation and loss of body coordination.

He urged the public not to use products which were unregistered with the Drug Control Authority, and that they could check the registration status of the product through npra.moh.gov.my website or by calling tel: 03-78835400. -- Bernama