In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration regulates the efficacy and safety of pharmaceutical drugs. This government agency was formed in direct response to a mass poisoning and more than 100 deaths from kidney failure due to a medicinal toxic alcohol exposure. In contrast, the Food and Drug Administration also regulates the use of vitamins, minerals, herbs, or botanicals as dietary supplements, banning specific medical claims but requiring no documentation of efficacy. Safety of dietary supplements is only ensured through reporting of adverse events and rarely through intervention. Consumers should be aware that supplements may in fact contain actual pharmaceuticals or nothing of value and have significant toxic potential. Toxicity due to Chinese herbal medicines, aristolochic acid, amygdalin, hypervitaminosis D, and heavy metal contamination is reviewed.

在美国，食品药品监督管理局（FDA）规范药品的功效和安全性。该政府机构的成立是对大规模中毒的直接反应，该中毒是由于接触有毒有毒酒精而导致肾衰竭导致100多人死亡。相比之下，美国食品药品监督管理局（FDA）也规范使用维生素，矿物质，草药或植物性食品作为膳食补充剂，禁止特定的医学声称，但无需任何功效证明。仅通过报告不良事件来确保膳食补充剂的安全，很少通过干预来确保。消费者应注意，补品实际上可能包含实际的药物或没有任何价值，并且具有明显的潜在毒性。中草药，马兜铃酸，苦杏仁苷，高维生素D引起的毒性，