Health authorities in the North West have been accused of using a herbal medicine that could be harmful to some patients.

Dr Gail Davies, who is chief of the North Western District Health Board, said there was no scientific evidence to suggest that the medicinal plants were harmful.

“The herb is a common household remedy used for a wide range of illnesses and is used in various cultures around the world,” she said.

“However, there is no evidence to support the use of daffodicil as a medicinal plant, which has been used for centuries by some communities.”

Herbivore health authorities have been criticised in recent years for using a daffodi leaf extract as a common ingredient in their products.

“There is no scientific or clinical evidence to justify the use or misuse of this medicinal plant as a remedy,” Dr Davies said.

“Daffodilyl is a plant, it does not contain a toxic or dangerous substance and there is nothing in it that is considered a toxic ingredient.”

The herb has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, particularly in China.

The North Western district Health Board said the herb had been sold as a “natural remedy” since 2002.

“We believe that it is a natural remedy and that it works well as a daily treatment for some of our patients,” Dr Gillian O’Sullivan, the board’s general manager, said.

Herbiveng is made from the leaves of the daffodon, which grows in northern parts of Australia.

It is commonly used as a natural herb for its high concentrations of vitamin C, which may help lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels.

The herb also has a high concentration of calcium, which is important in the prevention of osteoporosis.

Dr O’ Sullivan said she was unaware of any cases of adverse effects associated with the use, or misuse, of dafodil.

Herbveng is now being tested for safety, she said, and will be reviewed if it becomes the new standard of care.

Dr Davies said the board would not be giving any further information until a review was completed.

This article was written by Tom Hester from ABC News.

Follow him on Twitter: @TomHesterABC.