Recent fatal incidents in 2/2026 in Binh Trung commune, Dong Thap province, highlight the dangers of this practice. Five people who consumed liquor infused with crow's beak vine, a wild plant locally harvested, developed severe symptoms the next day, leading to 2 deaths. Around the same time, 6 men in Son Lam commune, Nghe An province, were hospitalized with suspected poisoning after a drinking session involving root-infused liquor, presenting with cyanosis, shortness of breath, and nausea.

People should not infuse their own liquor, as it poses potential health risks. *Mai Anh*

Doctor Nguyen Thi Diem Huong, from the University Medical Center HCMC - Campus 3, observes that many patients misunderstand the purpose of these beverages. They commonly believe that "joint pain requires medicinal liquor" and "the more you drink, the faster you recover," perpetuating this habit year after year. Doctor Huong differentiates these preparations into two distinct categories: those for consumption and those for external massage. Medicinal liquors for drinking are prescribed by doctors with strict dosage controls to improve blood circulation and kidney function. Conversely, massage solutions contain potent, warming ingredients for localized pain relief and are strictly prohibited for internal consumption, yet people frequently confuse the two.

Many massage solutions or "martial arts liquors" sold contain highly toxic medicinal ingredients such as strychnine seeds, aconite root, and monkshood. Strychnine seeds are rich in alkaloids like strychnine and brucine, which possess high neurotoxicity. Aconite root and monkshood contain aconitine, known to cause severe heart rhythm disorders and low blood pressure. When ingested, these substances can immediately trigger convulsions, increased muscle tone, respiratory failure, and ultimately death. Even external application, if frequent, over large areas, or on abraded skin, allows these harmful active ingredients to penetrate the bloodstream, causing systemic reactions.

The risk of poisoning significantly increases when individuals arbitrarily infuse roots, herbs, or whole animals without proper medical knowledge. The alcohol environment extracts active ingredients more potently than water decoctions, easily creating adverse chemical interactions and increasing synergistic toxicity. Furthermore, mistakenly using industrial methanol for infusion causes the body to metabolize it into formaldehyde and formic acid. This process rapidly destroys the optic nerve, causes metabolic acidosis, and claims lives. Doctors warn that an uncontrolled homemade infused liquor is essentially a complex, unpredictable chemical cocktail.

In the long term, the habit of misusing alcohol-infused medicinal ingredients devastates multiple organs. The liver bears the heaviest burden, simultaneously metabolizing alcohol and toxins, leading to elevated liver enzymes, fatty liver, and hepatitis. Kidneys also weaken due to continuously eliminating metabolites, heavy metals, or molds from poor-quality ingredients. For the musculoskeletal system, alcohol increases inflammatory responses, hinders bone metabolism, and exacerbates underlying conditions like gout.

Doctor Huong examines a patient. *Hospital provided*

To protect health, consumers should avoid products advertised as "complete cures" or "instant libido enhancers." Doctor Huong advises selecting traditional medicine products that clearly state ingredients, origin, intended use (drinking or massage), and specific instructions. Solutions with an unusually pungent odor or that cause rapid burning upon contact often signal the presence of mixed chemicals. Individuals with liver disease, stomach issues, metabolic disorders, those on chronic medication, the elderly, and pregnant women must completely eliminate these beverages from their daily routine.

Thuy An