Worldwide warning on deadly diet pills

22-year-old Eloise Parry died in April after taking tablets bought online. Photo / Facebook

Interpol has issued a global alert over diet pills that led to the death of a young woman whose metabolism "exploded like TNT".

The alert for 2.4-dinitrophenol (DNP), used as a dieting and body-building aid, also follows the testing by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) of a sample of the drug seized in Australia.

British woman, Eloise Parry, 22, died in April after taking tablets bought online, while Interpol also cited the case of a French man left seriously ill after taking the substance.

The Interpol orange notice - used to warn of imminent threats - says the illicit and potentially lethal drug is also used as a raw material for explosives.

In the 1930s DNP was used to boost metabolism and encourage weight loss, but was taken out of circulation because of several deaths.

The alert has been issued to law agencies in all 190 member countries.

Although DNP is usually sold in yellow powder or capsule form, it is available as a cream.

"Besides the intrinsic dangers of DNP, the risks associated with its use are magnified by illegal manufacturing conditions," the alert says.

"In addition to being produced in clandestine laboratories with no hygiene regulations, without specialist manufacturing knowledge, the producers also expose consumers to an increased chance of overdose."

In an online tribute, Ms Parry's mother, Fiona, said her daughter's metabolism had "exploded like TNT" after she took the pills to lose weight, causing her to burn up from the inside.

"The drug was in her system, there was no antidote, two tablets was a lethal dose and she had taken eight," Ms Parry wrote.

Comment has been sought from the Australian Federal Police.

- AAP