An unauthorized Chinese herbal weight-loss medicine sold at select stores in Victoria and Calgary may pose serious health risks, Health Canada warns. Ying Tai TCM Supplying Ltd. is voluntarily recalling the product Fat Burner No. 1 labelled in Chinese characters translated as "Qian Mei Yin Zi" after Health Canada lab tests revealed the product contains two pharmaceutical ingredients that aren't declared on the label. The Health Department tested product samples after receiving an adverse-reaction report involving the medicine.

The ingredients are a chemical similar to sibutramine, formerly marketed as Meridia, and sildenafil, the generic name for the drug Viagra. Sibutramine was previously used to treat obesity. It is no longer authorized for sale in Canada because of its association with an increased risk of cardiovascular side effects, such as heart attack and stroke.

Sildenafil is a prescription drug used to treat erectile dysfunction and should only be taken under the supervision of a health-care practitioner. Fat Burner No. 1 was distributed to five stores in Victoria and Calgary. The three stores in Victoria are: Dr. Pan's Clinic of TCM, Double Joy Ltd. and HOC Hyperbaric Care Centre.

The Calgary stores are: Great Wall Health Centre and Evergreen Acupuncture and Health Services. Health Canada said consumers who have used the product and are concerned for their health should consult their health-care practitioner.