| Aconite (monkshood) | Aconitine, mesaconitine, and hypaconitine | Rheumatism, pain | Nausea, vomiting, paresthesia, numbness; hypotension, palpitations, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular arrhythmias. |
| Androstenedione | Sex steroid precursor | Increase muscle size and strength | Virilization in women, increased estrogen in men. |
| Anabolic steroids | Methandrostenolone, oxandrolone, testolactone, many other steroid derivatives | Body building | Virilization; feminization; cholestatic hepatitis; aggressiveness, mania, or psychosis; hypertension; acne; hyperlipidemia; immune suppression. |
| Azarcon (Greta) | Lead salts | Hispanic folk remedy for abdominal pain, colic | Lead poisoning. |
| Bitter orange | Citrus aurantium (source of synephrine) | Weight loss, athletic enhancement | Synephrine: alpha-adrenergic agonist (Pseudoephedrine, Phenylephrine, and other Decongestants); may cause vasoconstriction, hypertension. |
| Bufotoxin | Bufotenine (toad venom); "love stone"; Chan su | Purported aphrodisiac, hallucinogen | Digoxin and Other Cardiac Glycosides. |
| Cascara sagrada | Rhamnus purshiana | Cathartic in some diet aids | Abdominal cramps, diarrhea; fluid and electrolyte loss. |
| Chitosan | Derived from marine exoskeletons | Weight loss | Dyspepsia, oily stools, shellfish hypersensitivity reaction. |
| Chondroitin sulfate | Shark or bovine cartilage or synthetic | Osteoarthritis | Possible anticoagulant activity. |
| Chromium | Chromium picolinate | Glucose and cholesterol lowering, athletic performance enhancement | Renal insufficiency, possibly mutagenic in high doses, niacin-like flushing reaction with picolinate salt (Vitamins). |
| Comfrey | Symphytum officinale | Anti-inflammatory, gastritis, diarrhea | Hepatic veno-occlusive disease, possible teratogen/carcinogen. (Note: Many other plants also contain hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids; see Table II–52.) |
| Creatine | Creatine monohydrate, creatine monophosphate | Athletic performance enhancement | Nausea, diarrhea, muscle cramping, rhabdomyolysis, renal dysfunction. |
| Danshen | Salvia miltiorrhiza | Cardiovascular diseases, menstrual problem, wound healing | Anticoagulant effect; may potentiate cardiac glycoside toxicity |
| DHEA | Dehydroepiandrosterone (an adrenal steroid) | Anticancer, antiaging | Possible androgenic effects. |
| Echinacea | Echinacea angustifolia Echinacea pallida Echinacea purpurea | Immune stimulation, prevention of colds | Allergic reactions, possible exacerbation of autoimmune diseases. |
| Fenugreek | Trigonella foenum-graecum | Increase appetite, promote lactation | Hypoglycemia in large doses, anticoagulant effects possible. |
| Feverfew | Tanacetum parthenium | Migraine prophylaxis | Allergic reactions, antiplatelet effects. |
| Garlic | Allium sativum | Hyperlipidemia, hypertension | Anticoagulant effect, gastrointestinal irritation, body odor. |
| Ginkgo | Extract of Ginkgo biloba | Memory impairment, tinnitus, peripheral vascular disease | Gastrointestinal irritation, antiplatelet effects. |
| Ginseng | Panex ginseng, Panex quinquefolium | Fatigue/stress, immune stimulation | Decreases glucose, increases cortisol; ginseng ... |