THE illegal sexual-enhancement drug Power 1 Walnut has claimed its first fatality. He was among the patients who developed serious adverse reactions after taking the made-in-China drug, said the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) on Monday. The middle-aged local Chinese man was taken to hospital in a coma state in early March. Investigations found that he had taken Power 1 Walnut. The case is pending the coroner's investigation. 'There are also other patients who developed serious adverse drug reactions of seizures and unconsciousness with just a single ingestion of half a tablet of Power 1 Walnut. This demonstrates the highly toxic effects of this product,' warned HSA. HSA said despite repeated public warnings on the serious health consequences of the illegal drug, it continues to receive new cases. The number of confirmed cases is 23, while that for suspected cases has reached 53. 'HSA strongly urges members of the public not to continue to consume Power 1 Walnut as it causes serious health consequences such as seizures, unconsciousness and coma in those who have taken it,' it said in a statement on Monday. 'It is an illegal product, not approved by HSA, and has been found to contain excessive doses of glibenclamide, a prescription medicine used for treatment of diabetes.' HSA also strongly advises against the purchase of other illegal products touted for sexual enhancement especially those from makeshift stalls, peddlers and dubious internet sites as they are also likely to be purposefully added with potent western medicinal ingredients to achieve the desired effect. As of April 3, another six men who consumed Power 1 Walnut had developed serious symptoms of very low blood sugar, ranging from drowsiness, seizures to loss of consciousness and had to be hospitalised. Nine new suspected cases were also hospitalised, the HSA reported. For the 53 suspected cases, HSA said it it is highly probable that the patients had taken Power 1 Walnut, as they experienced adverse effects similar to those patients who have definitely consumed the illegal drug. All the patients are males, aged between 21 to 97 years old. Two-thirds of them are Singaporeans, and the rest are foreign workers. Of these, half (51 per cent) are Chinese, followed by Malays (19 per cent, Indians (14 per cent) and others (16 per cent). Enforcement operations

In the two-month period since reports of these adverse reaction began to surface, HSA has conducted seven enforcement operations targeting areas where illegal products such as Power 1 Walnut were sold or stored. It has since seized some 100,000 units of these illegal products, including over 3,000 tablets of Power 1 Walnut, with a total estimated street value of S$250,000. HSA has also caught nine suspects for illegally dealing in such products. Three of them have already been charged in Court and their cases are currently ongoing, while prosecution actions against the other six subjects are in progress. Illegal products such as Power 1 Walnut often have inferior quality built into them and carry a high likelihood of being adulterated with potent western medicinal ingredients. The adverse effects of taking such drugs have been clearly illustrated with Power 1 Walnut. They include not only coma and death but also leave our patients with debilitating conditions such as seizures and stroke. Substances in Power 1 Walnut

Sildenafil and glibenclamide, the two substances detected in Power 1 Walnut are substances controlled under the Poisons Act. It is an offence for an unlicensed person to import, sell or possess for sale any product containing these substances. Anyone found guilty of an offence under the Poisons Act can be fined up o $10,000 and or jailed up to two years. 'In addition to consumers taking their health into their own hands and looking for quick fixes without medical consultation, it would also be helpful for relatives and friends of men who might be exposed to such products to caution them on the dangers of consuming illegal products and dissuade them from using these products,' advised HSA. HSA strongly advises the public who have bought illegal products to throw them away immediately. For those who have taken this illegal product, they should stop consumption immediately and seek medical advice as soon as possible. Members of the public who have any information that could help with the investigation may contact HSA's Compliance Branch at 6866-3485 during office hours. The public is also requested to report any other suspicious sales of illegal products to HSA at the same contact number.

