Toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids in German retail herbal products

What is it about?

Toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are undesired compounds in herbal products due to their potential hepatotoxic and carcinogenic properties. In this study, 98 widely patronized herbal products from six popular German retail supermarkets/drugstores, as well as from pharmacies, were analyzed for the presence of PAs.

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Why is it important?

Our findings show that about 63% of the HMs were PA positive, whereas the average PA concentration of the samples was 201 μg/kg, the highest concentration of PAs (3270 μg/kg) was attributed to a product that was purchased from the pharmacy and contained Hypericum perforatum L. (St. John's Wort) as an active ingredient. In addition, H. perforatum-containing products were frequently contaminated with PAs from Echium spp., while both Cynara cardunculus L. products and fixed-combination products of Gentiana lutea L., Rumex acetosa L., Verbena officinalis L., Sambucus nigra L., and Primula veris L. products were commonly contaminated with PAs of Senecio spp. The study showed that H. perforatum, C. cardunculus, Urtica dioica L., and fixed-combination products were frequently contaminated with PA levels above the recommended values of both the German and European Medicines Agencies.