Ten people have died after using a fake drug made by a pharmaceutical company in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, hospital sources said on Saturday.

The drug's 10th victim passed away on Friday at the No 3 Zhongshan Hospital in Guangzhou, capital city of southern China's Guangdong Province, despite doctors' efforts to save him.

The deceased, 60, surnamed Chen, was hospitalized with hepatitis on March 29.

Injected with fake Armillarisni A produced by the Qiqihar No 2 Pharmaceutical Co Ltd, he showed symptoms of fever, vomiting and anorexia.

He finally died of heart, kidney and liver failure, said Gao Zhiliang, director of the hospital's infection department.

Another patient who was injected with the fake medicine is in a critical condition, while three others are now stable.

The toxic substance in the drug, identified as diglycol, causes pain in the alimentary canal and stomach, while damaging the kidneys, nervous system and liver.

One ton of diglycol was sold to the factory last November as "propylene glycol," an auxiliary material for producing Armillarisni A injections.

The company's quality inspectors failed to notice that it was the wrong chemical.

Using diglycol, the company produced the injection, mainly used for treating acute or chronic cholecystitis and chronic and atrophic gastritis.

The dealer who sold the factory the fake chemical has now been arrested.

Premier Wen Jiabao has ordered government departments to launch a thorough investigation into the fake drug and push to straighten out the pharmaceutical market.

(China Daily June 5, 2006)