The Hong Kong Department of Health advised consumers not to use Deguozhanjiang because it contains sildenafil and tadalafil, prescription drugs used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction that should only be taken under the guidance of a health professional.
Health Canada is advising consumers not to use the products due to concerns about possible side-effects.
Unsupervised use of tadalafil or sildenafil by patients with heart disease can result in serious cardiovascular side-effects such as sudden cardiac death, heart attack, stroke, hypertension, chest pain and abnormal heartbeat. Additionally, use of tadalafil or sildenafil may be associated with other side-effects including temporary vision loss, seizure, prolonged erection, headache, flushing, nasal congestion and abdominal pain.
Tadalafil or sildenafil should not be used by individuals taking any type of nitrate drug (e.g., nitroglycerine) due to the risk of developing potentially life-threatening low blood pressure.