Thin layer chromatographic method for detection of conventional drug adulterants in herbal products
Loading...
Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
MDPI
Abstract
Commercially available conventional drugs have been used to adulterate herbal products.
Considering the rapid growth of herbal products’ market, it is essential to screen herbal products for
the presence of conventional drugs. Simple analytical methods are needed for the rapid screening of
conventional drugs that are likely to be adulterated in herbal products. Thin layer chromatography
(TLC) methods for screening twelve conventional drugs in herbal products have been developed
and applied. The analytes were extracted from herbal products using acetonitrile:methanol:acetic
acid:water (4:4:1:1, v/v). Solvent mixture of dichloromethane:ethyl acetate:methanol (75:15:10, v/v)
separated well trimethoprim, sildenafil, paracetamol, and sulfamethoxazole while pyrimethamine,
metronidazole, and sulfadoxine were well separated by dichloromethane:ethyl acetate:methanol
(77.5:12.5:10, v/v). In addition, acetyl salicylic acid, ibuprofen, diclofenac, quinine, and lumefantrine
were well separated by ethyl acetate:methanol:30% ammonia (75:22.5:2.5, v/v). Chromatographic
separations were found to be highly reproducible, and more than 10 samples can be analysed in one
run. The method was applied in the screening of 229 herbal products. Consequently, 24.0% of the
samples contained one adulterant, while 21.4% contained at least two adulterants. All conventional
drugs detected in herbal products were not mentioned on the labels and therefore the consumers
are kept unaware of their side effects and health problems. Further studies for confirming and
quantitatively determining the adulterants in a wide range of products as well as a systematic
toxicological analysis of the adulterants in herbal products are recommended.
Description
Journal Article
Keywords
Adulteration, Herbal drugs, Synthetic drugs, Herbal medicines
Citation
wankuna, C.J.; Mariki, E.E.; Mabiki, F.P.; Malebo, H.M.; Styrishave, B.; Mdegela, R.H. Thin Layer Chromatographic Method for Detection of Conventional Drug Adulterants in Herbal Products. Separations 2023, 10, 23.