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Riemann Labs (Indore, Madhya Pradesh): Naturcold

Last checked 3 November 2026

Riemann Labs (Indore, Madhya Pradesh): Naturcold
Told to stop manufacture (2023)Riemann Labs · Indore, Madhya Pradesh

Naturcold, a cough-and-cold syrup labelled as made by 'Fraken International (England)', a company that does not appear to exist, was found to contain 28.6 per cent diethylene glycol after children died of acute kidney injury in Cameroon. The WHO issued Medical Product Alert N°5/2023 on 19 July 2023. The Government of India subsequently told Parliament that the syrup had been traced to Riemann Labs in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, and that the firm had been directed to halt manufacturing. The final regulatory outcome for the firm is not confirmed in our sources.

Status as of 3 November 2026

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Primary government sourceTier 1: government primary source

WHO Medical Product Alert N°5/2023: Substandard (contaminated) syrup medicines

CDSCO and state drug controllers · 19 July 2023

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Scope. A record here does not by itself mean a product or company is unsafe or banned today. Regulatory actions can apply to one batch, one formulation, one period or one state. Always check the linked government document for the current position, and tell us if something is out of date. How we label records.

Affected products and batches

ProductBatchNote
Naturcold SyrupNot stated28.6% diethylene glycol
Diphenhydramine + Ammonium Chloride + Sodium Citrate + Menthol syrup26007Declared not of standard quality (menthol assay) in CDSCO's September 2026 list; listed under Riemann Labs. Concerns that batch only

Current status

Riemann Labs was directed to stop manufacturing in 2023; whether its licence was subsequently cancelled is not confirmed in our sources as of 3 Nov 2026. A Riemann Labs cough syrup batch (26007) was declared not of standard quality in the September 2026 list for its menthol content; the report does not link it to Naturcold. Naturcold was not marketed in India.

What to do if you have this product

Step 1

Do not use Naturcold syrup of any batch.

Step 2

The product was exported; no Indian retail stock is known.

Step 3

If you have a diphenhydramine + ammonium chloride + sodium citrate + menthol syrup from Riemann Labs, compare the batch number with 26007; the NSQ finding applies to that batch only.

Sources

Government documents

News reports

Researched and written by The Blacklisted team
We are not doctors or pharmacists. Everything on this page comes from the documents listed above, which you can open and check. Last checked 3 November 2026. How we check · Who we are · Spotted a mistake? Tell us.