The distributor of an unregulated food supplement is challenging a Health Canada request to remove the product from the market. The pill, marketed under the name Bell Magicc Bullet, contains the unauthorized chemical ingredient sildenafil. That's the active ingredient in Viagra.

The product's label does not indicate that it contains sildenafil, which can only be obtained by prescription.

A spokesman says the distributor has filed a lawsuit against Health Canada, arguing that the department discriminates against the health food industry.

The company says Bell Magicc Bullet does not contain sildenafil, but a natural herb that contains similar molecular markers.

Health Canada says it will take further action to protect consumers. The department issued a warning about the product last week, noting that inappropriate use of the supplement could cause severe adverse reactions, especially for people taking any nitrate medication or products, which are commonly used for some types of heart disease.

So far, no adverse reactions have been reported.