Is HemoHIM Safe for the Liver? What the Evidence Shows

Short answer: controlled studies of HemoHIM have not shown liver problems, but the evidence is limited and there is a real safety signal. In 2021 Hong Kong reported four liver-injury cases in people who had taken HemoHIM, and an undeclared prescription drug, methoxsalen, was found in samples. Whether HemoHIM itself caused them is still debated. Here is what each piece of evidence shows.

What the safety studies found

8-week human safety trial

The most relevant human study is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in 2025 (Seo et al.). 96 healthy adults took HemoHIM or a placebo for 8 weeks, with checks of vital signs, blood and urine tests and adverse events. The trial was supported by the manufacturer, Kolmar BNH, and included only adults aged 30–59.

• No clinically significant adverse events were reported.

• No clinically significant changes in blood and urine tests compared with placebo.

• Limitation: all participants were healthy, so the trial says nothing about people with liver disease or on other medicines, and it was small and short.

Other human studies looked at immune markers and fatigue, not the liver — see our HemoHIM clinical studies overview.

13-week toxicity study in rats

An animal study in Toxicological Research (2025) gave rats HemoHIM for up to 13 weeks at up to 2,000 mg/kg per day — far more than people take. It found no treatment-related toxicity and no genotoxicity in standard tests. Animal results are reassuring but cannot prove safety in people.

The Hong Kong cases (2021): what happened

On 1–2 November 2021, Hong Kong’s Department of Health urged the public not to buy or consume HemoHIM. Four women aged 42 to 72 had developed liver injury, and the Government Laboratory found methoxsalen — a prescription drug that is not a declared ingredient — in samples of the product. Taiwan issued a warning the same month, and the product was withdrawn in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. As of October 2026, HemoHIM is sold again in Atomy’s Singapore mall and, as HemoHIM G (艾多美 煥力飲G), in Atomy’s Taiwan mall; it is still not sold in Hong Kong.

Hong Kong’s warning was based on these cases and the methoxsalen finding, and doctors described the cases in the Hong Kong Medical Journal (2022;28(5):413–4). A 2023 Korean review (Yang SJ et al.) disputed causation, noting that methoxsalen can occur naturally in plants such as angelica and that the patients were taking other medicines. The question is not settled. See Is HemoHIM banned? and HemoHIM side effects and safety.

The three herbs: what liver research exists

HemoHIM is an extract of three traditional Korean medicinal herbs: Angelica gigas and Cnidium officinale (Apiaceae) and peony root, Paeonia lactiflora (Paeoniaceae). Their liver research is laboratory and animal work on single herbs or compounds, not on HemoHIM, and has not been shown in people.

• Angelica gigas (Korean angelica): in animal studies, decursin, one of its main compounds, has shown liver-protective effects against chemically induced liver damage.

• Cnidium officinale: compounds such as ligustilide have been studied for anti-inflammatory effects in laboratory research. Long traditional use does not by itself prove safety.

• Peony root (Paeonia lactiflora): paeoniflorin, its main compound, has shown anti-inflammatory and liver-protective effects in laboratory and animal studies.

Who should be careful

Ask your doctor or pharmacist before taking HemoHIM if any of these apply to you:

• You have a liver condition, such as hepatitis, fatty liver disease or cirrhosis, or have had abnormal liver tests.

• You take medicines that are processed by the liver or can affect it — for example some cholesterol medicines, high doses of paracetamol (acetaminophen) or some antibiotics — or blood thinners or immunosuppressants.

• You drink alcohol regularly or heavily, since alcohol itself puts strain on the liver.

• You take several supplements, have an autoimmune disease or are about to have surgery.

Children and pregnant or breastfeeding women should not take it, as the Korean label advises.

Warning signs of liver injury

Stop taking HemoHIM (or any supplement) and see a doctor promptly if you notice:

• Yellowing of the skin or the whites of the eyes (jaundice).

• Dark urine or pale stools.

• Pain in the abdomen, especially the upper right side, or nausea.

• Unusual tiredness or loss of appetite.

If you are worried, ask your doctor whether a liver blood test before and during use makes sense for you.

Why buying genuine product matters

The Hong Kong cases show that what is in the sachet matters. Products from marketplaces or unauthorized resellers can be old, badly stored or not genuine. Buy only through Atomy’s official mall for your country (see HemoHIM from unauthorized sellers). This site is run by an independent Atomy distributor.

Bottom line

The evidence is mixed: a small trial in healthy adults and a rat study found no safety problems, but four liver-injury cases in Hong Kong, with an undeclared drug in samples, remain a real signal whose cause is debated. If you have liver disease, take medicines or drink regularly, ask your doctor first, and stop and seek advice if you notice signs of liver trouble. New to the product? Read what is HemoHIM.